Diamond in the Rough
by Love Ink
Summary: SEQUEL to "The Blue Diamond". Set during TFATF, many changes are in store for the team. Changes that will both strengthen and ruin relationships within the team. Leon/OC and Vince/OC. AU-ish.
1. Lucky

I'm baaaaaaack! :) Here's the first chapter for the sequel! I figured I'd stick with the diamond theme in the title. ;)

So question: I have tons of little blurbs that didn't make the Blue Diamond and don't fit into this fic...would ya'll be interested in reading little "deleted scenes"? They're fluff between Leon/Michaela and Vince/Alex.

Let me know what you think in a review!

Thanks again for reading! Love you all!

Disc: I own nothing but Michaela and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 1: Lucky_

**By: LoveInk**

It was one of those insufferable summer days where being anywhere but the beach was hell. After hours of whining and begging, Michaela had finally gotten Dom to cave. Sighing, he agreed to close the garage and the store so the team could go to the beach. Once they made it to the beautiful shore, she ran towards the sand excitement pumping through her veins; after spending six weeks in a cast, it felt good to feel the sand between her toes. Giggling at Michaela's excitement, Mia lay down two towels while Letty set up a folding chair nearby. The three older boys followed after, each carrying a cooler filled with food and booze while Jesse was left to carry the beach bag and the umbrella. They set up camp around the girls, griping and grumbling about it as they did so.

"Did you invite Alex?" Mia asked Vince from her seat on the blanket.

Vince shrugged a shoulder as he flipped open a cooler to grab a beer. "Don't need to. She's already here."

"I didn't see her car," Leon commented, grunting as he dropped a case of beer into the sand. Once the beers in the cooler ran out, as they inevitably would, they'd be replaced by the warmer ones. "How would she get here?"

"She didn't answer her phone, so she's either here or at the studio," Vince explained easily. "I bet Fisher drove."

"Or she's avoiding you," Michaela said on a derisive snort.

Vince ignored his sister, popping open his beer and taking a sip as his blue eyes studied the ocean. "She's right there," he said pointing the neck of the bottle towards the water.

Mia narrowed her eyes trying desperately to figure out which one she was. "Where?"

"About to catch that wave right there," he answered as though it was obvious.

"How do you know?" Mia questioned.

He shrugged a shoulder. "I just do."

"Bull shit. Five bucks says it's not her," Leon said on a chuckle.

Vince raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Raise it to ten."

"I'll give you ten and if you're wrong, I get ten _and _Mickey and I get the house to ourselves for the night. If not, you guys can have it."

Mia looked between the two; sure Vince would deck him for proposing such a bet. She was wrong, though, Vince didn't look angry at all. In fact, he looked amused. "How about three nights?" he asked instead.

Michaela grinned, excited for the outcome of the bet. "Oh sweet!"

"You're on," Leon said shaking his hand. "There's no way you can tell from this distance."

Vince just smirked and started making his way towards the water. He stood at the edge and waited, his eyes on Alex as she caught a decent wave and headed in.

Alex was not having a good day. Fisher acted like a total ass that morning, waking her up way to early because there was a "good swell" at the beach. When they got there around six in the morning, said "swell" was nowhere to be found. She almost killed him. Luckily for him, it picked up a little around eight. It was now eleven and she was hungry. Leaving Fisher behind with some of their surf buddies, she caught one last wave and totally ate it. With a scowl, she walked her board to the beach, mumbling curses under her breath as she stuck it in the sand. She heard a low chuckle and her heart skipped a beat, she knew that laugh. Peering around her board, she found his bright blue eyes laughing at her.

"Vince!" she exclaimed, a bright smile breaking across her face as she ran at him. He caught her easily, swinging her around in a circle as she laughed. "What are you doing here, big guy?" she asked once her feet were back down on the ground.

"Surprising you," he said before stooping down to kiss her. "You looked good out there."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Save for the fact that I totally ate it on the last wave."

Vince chuckled. "I didn't see that," he said, though it was clear he had. "Want a drink?" he asked nodding his head to where the rest of the team was laying out in the sand.

"You guys got the day off?" she questioned, clearly shocked. It was rare she got to spend a whole day with her boyfriend and her best friends on the beach.

He nodded. "That _and_ we get my place to ourselves tonight."

A naughty smirked turned up the corner of her mouth. "No way," she said, trying to hide her excitement. It had been awhile since they'd gotten some alone time together at either of their houses. Fisher was on hiatus so her house was constantly filled with his friends and Michaela and Leon were always hanging out over at Vince's place since the fort was usually too crowded. "How'd you manage that?"

"I made a bet with Leon," he stated simply.

Michaela groaned when she saw her brother talking with Alex; she hated losing. "Hey Lee," she said, catching a sleeping Leon's attention.

"Huh?" he asked, his eyes still closed underneath his sunglasses.

"We lost," she stated miserably.

He sat up straighter then, pushing his sunglasses into his hair to get a better look. "Shit," he swore under his breath; he'd been certain they'd win. "There's no way…how did he…"

"He just knows her," Mia said with a happy sigh that clearly showed how romantic she thought the notion was.

Letty rolled her eyes at Mia's romantic assumption. She'd known it was Alex too. It'd been obvious from the lime green rash guard and board. "That or he recognized her board."

Leon glanced toward the couple and saw that her board was a neon green color; the only one of its kind on the beach or in the water. "Fuckin' cheater," he mumbled under his breath with a scowl.

Dom chuckled, shaking his head at Leon. "Don't let him hear you say that," he warned, watching the couple as they approached, their arms wrapped around each other. He fought back a sneer, since when did Vince do shit like that? The thought of it was disgusting. Who was this girl and what had he done with his best friend?

When they got to the team's camp, Vince tossed Alex one of the girls' wine coolers before grabbing the football and heading towards the shore with Dom and Jesse close behind him. Leon hung back. Mia looked at him suspiciously, Leon never said no to a game of catch.

Alex threw herself onto the empty towel space between Mia and Michaela. "Holy crap, you're cold!" Michaela exclaimed when Alex's wet rash guard brushed against her skin.

Alex laughed, sitting up on her knees, and pulling off guard to reveal a simple black bikini with tiny white skulls all over it. "Sorry! The water's cold!" she exclaimed as she settled back down. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing you'd be interested in," Michaela shot back, showing Alex the cover of her Vogue magazine.

Mia giggled at the disgusted look on Alex's face. "You might like this better," she said, handing the girl the Cosmopolitan magazine she'd just finished reading.

"Hey Lex?" Leon said, catching her attention.

"Yeah?" she replied, her eyes on the magazine instead of Leon.

"Has Vince ever watched you surf before?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Once or twice."

"With the same board and shirt thingy?"

"Rash guard, Lee. It's called a rash guard."

He scoffed at her and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Lex. Has he seen it before?"

"Well, _yeah_," she answered, glancing at him with an eyebrow raised. "Why?"

"Because Vince is a fuckin' cheater," he muttered, shaking his head as he stood up.

Alex rolled her eyes at him. When Vince had told her about the bet, she had thought it was strange Leon had given in to that. "He is not," she defended with a scowl. "You just didn't think it through, you moron."

"_I'm_ a moron?" he asked, pointing a finger at his tanned chest.

"You heard me," she said squinting in the sun as she looked up at him. She didn't notice the way both Mia and Michaela had scooted away from her, a clear indication that something bad was going to happen.

Leon grabbed a handful of sand and rubbed it into her hair, laughing as he ran away from her. Alex let out a shriek of protest as she took off after him. Letty laughed as they chased each other around where the guys were playing. "She's fast," she commented, watching as Alex threw a handful of wet sand at Leon, hitting him square in the back.

"That doesn't bother you?" Mia asked Michaela.

She shook her head no. "You've seen the way she looks at my brother; she sure as hell doesn't look at Lee that way. And Lee just sees her as a sister," she explained with a shrug. She didn't want to go into the story about Leon's deceased sister; she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. "They're actually better at being siblings than Vince and I. They fight, they hit each other, and then they make up."

"That's because you respect Vince. Lex doesn't respect Lee," Mia stated.

"Obviously," Letty said on a scoff as Alex tossed a handful of sand into Leon's face.

The girls laughed as Vince managed to "accidentally" trip Leon, sending him face-first into the sand. Given that golden opportunity, Alex managed to dump a bucket of ice cold water on him. In seconds he was back on his feet and hauling her into the water before Jesse and Vince pushed him in after her. Deciding to get in on the fun, Michaela ran over to them, jumping on Vince's back and making him fall face first into the water. Dom hung back, shaking his heads at his childish friends before heading back toward Letty and Mia.

"Remind me how old they are again," Dom asked, sitting down in a beach chair with a Corona in his hand.

Letty chuckled as she stood and sauntered over to him, taking her rightful place in his lap. "I'd say around five."

"At least they're having fun!" Mia said, laughing as she watched both Alex and Michaela get lifted off their feet by their boyfriends and thrown in the water. "They're outnumbered though. Let, we should go even things up."

She shook her head. "You go. I'm fine right where I am," she said, leaning back into Dom. Mia rolled her eyes at them before taking off towards the water.

Dominic sighed as he watched Vince catch Alex around the waist and pull her in for a long kiss. "I don't like her," he stated.

"Who? Mia?"

"No, not Mia," he answered with a roll of his eyes. "V's girl."

Letty furrowed her brows. "Alex? You don't like _Alex_?" She found that hard to believe since she doubted they'd ever had a real conversation before.

"Yeah, her."

"Why not?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. She makes Vince act weird. He blew me off the other day. I told him I needed him to work on his day off, and he said he already had plans. He's never done that before."

Letty frowned, now she understood. Dominic didn't like Alex because she not only took Vince away from his team, but she also gave him a life of his own. Gone were the days when Vince followed Dom like a shadow. Now, he thought for himself and made his own plans. "It happens," she said, patting Dom's leg reassuringly. "Look at him, Dom."

Dom did. He and Leon were throwing the ball back and forth with their girlfriends. Vince had one of the biggest smiles Dom had ever seen on his face as he tackled Alex to the ground in an attempt to steal the football. "He looks like a goof."

She hit him before scowling at him. "He looks _happy_."

"Yeah, but for how long?" he murmured in response.

Letty tilted her head back to look at him. "You don't think it'll last?"

"I _know_ it won't last," he said emphatically. "Look at her, Let. She's smart, rich, and she dated some famous music guy for five years. You think she's going to settle for _Vince_?"

She looked back at the couple. Alex was looking up adoringly at Vince as he tossed the ball back to Leon. "I think she really likes him."

"Sure, until the next best thing comes along. She's going to break his heart and then we'll have to deal with him being an asshole for the rest of our lives. There's a reason we call him Coyote. He's meant to be the lone wolf."

Letty chuckled, shaking her head at Dom. "Coyote's actually mate for life. They're not 'lone'."

"Whatever. You know what I mean."

"I think he's grown out of that. He really likes her, Dom. Can we just let him be happy?"

Dom shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not going to stop him. I just don't think it'll last."

"The least you could do is be nice to her."

He sighed, running a hand over his bald head. "I'm nice."

She snorted. "Uh-huh. Right. You know, there's a reason she doesn't talk to you."

"Because I'm charming and handsome and she's scared she'll fall in love with me?" he joked arrogantly.

"No," Letty said with a roll of her eyes. "Mostly because you intimidate her."

Dom smirked and shrugged. "_I _intimidate her? She's dating _Vince_! How am I scarier than he is?"

"It's the bald head," she stated matter-of-factly.

"How do you figure?"

"That's pretty much the only difference between you and V. The hair. He's hairy and you're not."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, kissing her neck softly.

Letty leaned back into his embrace, tilting her head to the side to allow him better access. "Not for me," she said on a happy sigh. "Beard burn sucks. I don't know why Mickey and Alex put up with it."

Dom nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in the spicy scent of her perfume. He loved this woman that he was sure of. She was the only one who understood him enough to listen to all his bullshit and then sort it out for him. He knew he was lucky to have someone like her in his life. "I guess not everyone can be as lucky as you."

* * *

So I made Dom a little mean, but I feel like that's how he'd be with a new girl in the mix. I sort of see him as being overprotective and selfish and a little resistant to change...but I love him still ;)

You like? Let me know!

Thanks for reading

~Love Ink


	2. Staking Claims and More to Lose

Thanks so much to **Gingermegs, xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Ava, **and **Rmeyer90** for your fabulous reviews! :) You guys made my night!

As always, reviews are very much appreciated!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

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**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 2: Staking Claims and More to Lose_

**By: LoveInk**

"Doesn't that bother you?" Letty asked Alex from her place against her car. They were at the races waiting for Dom and the rest of the racers to square away their bets so they could race.

Alex looked in the direction Letty's head was turned to find Vince chatting up two gorgeous blonde girls. She shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "Not really. They're just talking."

"_Vince_ is just talking. Those skanks are trying to get in his pants," Letty clarified just as one of the girls set a manicured hand on his bicep. She smiled triumphantly when a brief look of jealousy flitted across her face. It was gone just as quick as it came and replaced with a confident smile.

"As long as they're _trying_ and not _succeeding_, I don't mind. I trust him and I don't want to accuse him of something he hasn't done. He would not appreciate that just like I wouldn't appreciate it if the situation was reversed."

Michaela scoffed. "Please Lex, you know better than I do that if my brother caught you talking to another guy, he'd beat the crap out of him."

The corners of Alex's mouth turned up in a smile. "Yeah, _here_. But I have guy friends and he has yet to kill any of them. And yeah, if I caught him flirting with a normal girl at the store, then I'd probably intervene. But not here. This is routine to him, and as long as _I'm_ the one in his bed at night, I don't really care."

"I'm just glad Lee works the scanners all night," Michaela stated with a grin. "He's too preoccupied to even _think_ of other girls."

Letty rolled her eyes. "Please, Mickey. It just makes him easier to find."

The look on Michaela's face told them she'd never thought about it like that before. "I'll be back later."

"Sucker," Letty said, laughing as she watched Michaela push her way through the crowds toward Leon's Skyline. She knew very well that no girl ever ventured out to the yellow Skyline; It was too much work to go find it and Leon was usually too focused on the scanners to give them much notice.

"That was mean," Mia commented, glaring at Letty. "No one ever bothers Leon."

Vince spotted Alex standing against his car talking with Letty and Mia. Two blondes flanked his sides, one as dumb and vapid as the other. As they jabbered at him, he studied his girlfriend. Her dark hair was in a low, messy ponytail. A pair of short cut off shorts hugged her hips stopping an inch below her belly button which was exposed by her too short Rolling Stones tank top. Somehow, she'd managed to make it past Mia with dark brown cowboy boots on. At some point in his study, she must've noticed him since when he finally got to her face; her dark green eyes were staring back at him, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

He gave her a cheeky grin and shrugged his shoulders as if saying 'so what'. A small smirk turned up the corner of her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Excuse me," he said to the two blondes.

"We aren't done talking to you, handsome," one blonde had the nerve to say.

Vince glared at her and nodded. "Uh, yeah, you were," he said before heading toward Alex. Mia and Letty stepped back as he approached, walking away to continue their conversation elsewhere. "Howdy cowgirl," he teased, pulling on a strand of her hair that had fallen into her face.

She wrapped her fingers through his belt loops and pulled him closer, rolling up on the balls of her feet so her face was closer to his. "Howdy," she whispered into his ear in a low, sultry voice.

He felt his hair stand on end as she placed a hot kiss just below his ear. His hands reached up to cup her face before he caught her lips with his own. He pressed her against his car, deepening the kiss as her hands travelled up and down his back. He felt the blast of wind from the speeding cars as they passed them, but he didn't bother to look. He already knew who the winner was anyway.

"Ew gross," Michaela said as she drew near. "Can you guys stop?"

Alex pulled away first, her hands coming up to Vince's chest to playfully push him away. "Sorry," she said, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Way to stake your claim. I thought you didn't need to do that," she mocked in response.

"It doesn't hurt," Alex said on a shrug as she leaned into Vince, her back against his chest. He wrapped an arm possessively around her waist, staking his claim in his own way. "How's Leon?"

Michaela grinned evilly. "I scared the crap out of him. Let was wrong, no one visits him. Ever."

"Well good. He should be watching the scanners, not flirting," Vince commented under his breath.

"COPS!" a loud voice bellowed amidst all the blasting speakers.

Michaela smiled proudly. "That's my man."

* * *

Dom caught Vince's attention as he entered the party with Alex on his arm. They made eye contact before he nodded his bald head toward the basement door. Vince sighed, running a hand over his hair; he really didn't want to leave Alex alone. He'd already caught a few guys eyeing her and he didn't want to leave her unprotected. "Tiny, I gotta talk to Dom," he said, watching Dom disappear down the stairs. "You good here?"

Alex gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. "Sure, big guy. Go ahead, have your manly pow-wow."

He wasn't surprised she hadn't missed the exchange; Alex caught everything. "Don't talk to strangers," he advised.

"But what if they have candy?" she asked, a teasing smile on her face.

Vince chuckled before catching her lips in a possessive kiss to ward off any guys who were even thinking of trying to flirt with her. The kiss was a long one that left her weak in the knees. After giving her a wink, he headed toward the basement. He shut the door behind him and jogged down the stairs, not at all surprised to find Leon and Jesse sitting on the couches with Dom sitting in a chair facing them. "What's up Dominic?" he asked, sitting on the arm of the couch.

"I'll get right to it," Dominic said as he cleared his throat. "The store and the shop are in the red, boys. We're going to lose them if we don't find cash soon."

"Well, Race Wars is comin' up in a few months, Dom. We get tons of cash there," Jesse suggested.

Dom shook his head. "We can't wait a few months."

"What you got, Dom?" Vince questioned. He knew Dom well enough to know that he hadn't called the meeting to brainstorm ideas; he already had one.

"Trucks."

"Trucks," Vince repeated, an eyebrow raised. "What do you mean like driving trucks? Picking up dirty parts..."

"Jacking them."

Leon chuckled and shook his head. "You're crazy. How the hell would we hi-jack trucks?"

"I got a friend who says it ain't hard. They'll provide everything. The cars, the spear guns, new radios, everything."

Jesse nodded slowly. "I see it," he said, his voice enthusiastic. "We get two, maybe three cars, use a spear gun to hook them, have one of us jump onto it, stun or tranq the driver, and voila! We got ourselves a truck!"

"Oh yeah, sounds great Jess! Not dangerous at all," Leon commented sarcastically. Vince nodded in agreement. Not only did it sound dangerous, but it was also incredibly stupid.

Dom rolled his eyes. "We'll have protective gear for the jumper and stuff."

"Great! See, not so dangerous," Jesse exclaimed, clapping his hands. "So who's doing what?"

"Lee, you're the best at the scanners so we'd have you on that. We need one man to pop out the window…"

"I got it," Jesse volunteered, his knees bouncing up and down with excitement. "It'll be awesome."

Dom smiled; glad somebody was ready and willing to go with his plan. The other two men looked hesitant. They'd be the hardest to win over. Dom knew if Vince agreed to do it, Leon would too and he had a feeling he could get his best friend to agree to it. "Let is good at precision driving so she'll take that car and I can do the driving of the other car if…" He looked up at Vince expectantly.

"You want me to jump the trucks," Vince finished flatly.

"V, you're the only one who knows how to drive semis."

Vince snorted, that was complete bull. He and Dom had learned how to drive trucks together. In their high school years, they'd wanted to master every moving land vehicle they could. Trucks, buses, race cars, you name it, they tried it. "What about you? You know how too. You scared, Dominic?"

He shook his head no in response. "No," Dom said through clenched teeth. "I just have more to lose than you," he claimed easily as though he'd thought of it before.

This pissed Vince off. Who did Dom think he was saying shit like that? "Oh yeah? What the fuck do you have that I don't?"

"I've got my sister, the love of my _life_, the garage, the store, the house. What do you have, V? Michaela has Leon...and Alex? You really think she's going to stick around once she learns more about you? We both know she's better than this scene. Than us. Stop kidding yourself."

"Fuck you, Dominic! What the hell do you know about her?" he exclaimed, standing up angrily from his seat. "You know what? Fuck it. I'm out. Go find someone else to push around," he growled heading for the steps.

"Vince! This is your family we're talking about," Dom barked after him, his voice deathly calm. Vince didn't turn around, but he did stop his trek up the stairs, a sign that he was listening. "We're the ones who are going to have your back if shit goes down. You think she will? You think she'll have your back a few weeks from now when you're jobless? The garage is going to close if we don't pick up the money soon and then what? What are you going to do? I'll lose the fort, you'll lose your house, they'll take the cars, everything. Then what will you have?"

Vince clenched his jaw. Dom was right. If the garage fell through, he would be left jobless. He didn't have any official training or a degree or anything that might lead to a job that he'd actually enjoy. He'd be stuck. He'd lose the house, he might lose his car, and he'd probably lose Alex. His life would fall apart. "Fine," he growled, finally turning around to face his friends. "Let's do this."

"Good," Dom said, turning his back to Vince. "We start next month."

* * *

This one is a bit shorter than the last, but I hoped you liked it!

Leave me a review and let me know what you think! ;)

~Love Ink


	3. Stupidly Stubborn

Thanks so much for all of the positive feedback! Especially to: **Sweetist of sin**, **xxxlil-missmercerxxx** (who is writing an amazing Leon fic, btw), **Ava**, **Gingermegs**, **Bindie**, and **Lyssa. **You guys rock!

Hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 3: Stupidly Stubborn_

**By: Love Ink**

Vince didn't want to stay in the house. He was mad at Dominic for throwing all the doubts and fears he had in his face. He'd had a point though. He already knew that without the team, he'd be nothing and Alex wouldn't want him; he didn't need Dom to shove it in his face. Swallowing hard, he grabbed a beer from a random cooler and chugged it down. It didn't make him feel any better, but he knew what could.

He found her talking to Mia in the kitchen, her green eyes glittering as they shared a laugh about something. Stepping behind her, he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest. "Let's go," he growled into ear before kissing the soft spot just beneath it.

Shivers went down Alex's spine at his gruff voice. She leaned into him and she could feel his rapid heartbeat against her shoulder. His hold on her was rougher than usual, a sure sign he was angry. She raised an eyebrow in question at Mia as though the other girl could give her some insight as to what had set him off. Mia shrugged a shoulder; she didn't know what was wrong with him. "Right now, V?" she asked, giving Mia an apologetic smile. Mia winked at her before disappearing back into the crowd.

His grip on her tightened as he began to trail kisses down her neck. "Yes," he muttered, nipping the smooth skin there. A soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it. "Right. Now," he growled.

* * *

"What was that about?" Michaela asked Leon as he dragged her downstairs to his room to talk to her privately. He was in no mood to party. He needed to talk to someone about what had just happened.

He sighed, sitting down on the bed and shrugging a shoulder. "Just Dom and another one of his fucking brilliant ideas," he muttered.

She stepped in-between his legs, smiling when he took her hips into his hands. "What is it this time?" she questioned, raking her fingers through his hair.

He groaned at the feel of her short nails against his scalp. "The shop and the garage are in the shit hole," he explained tiredly. "We're spending too much money too fast. Even Harry's discounts aren't helping."

She nodded, she knew about that, had heard Mia and Dom fighting about it for some time now. "So what are you guys going to do?"

Leon let out a long breath and shook his head, he still couldn't believe the plan Dom had come up with. "He wants to jack semis," he muttered quietly.

Michaela's blue eyes widened to the size of saucers. "You're kidding."

He laughed humorlessly. "I wish I was."

"That sounds dangerous," she said on a breath.

"It is."

Her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "Then why are you doing it?"

"Because we need the money fast, Princess. If not, we'll lose the shop."

She rolled her eyes. "Why can't we just get a loan like normal people? Even better! Why don't Alex and I pitch in? Between the two of us, I think we could help get it back on track."

"You really think Dom would go for that?" Leon asked sarcastically.

Michaela shrugged a shoulder in response. "Why not? Money's money."

Leon shook his head slowly. "A: Dom hates Alex," before Michaela could interrupt to deny the fact, Leon cut her off, "and B: he's too proud to take money from anyone. So we're left with boosting trucks."

She sighed, defeated. Of course Leon was right. Dom would never take money from anybody, especially Alex. "Well, what part are you playing in this idiotic scheme?"

He ran a hand over his face. It would be easy to explain his role, it wasn't dangerous. Telling her that her brother had agreed to jump from the trucks was going to be difficult; she was going to freak out. "I'm running the scanners."

"That's not too bad," she said, sighing in relief. "What about Vince?" At his grimace, her face paled slightly. "Leon…"

"He's jumping from the car to the truck, tranquilizing the driver, and driving the truck to the meeting place."

She gasped, her hand covering her mouth quickly. "No! He can't! Why him?"

"Why do you think, Mickey?" he asked back. "Apparently, he's the only one who can drive a semi."

"Dom can too!"

"Yeah and Jesse and I can learn in a heartbeat, but I run the scanners and Jesse is the mad scientist and Dom is…Dom is selfish. He thinks out of all of us, V is the expendable one."

"No, Dom doesn't think like that, Lee. There's gotta be another reason. Vince is his brother, he wouldn't make him do it if he didn't have to," Michaela defended a frown on her pretty face.

Leon felt a little angered by her defensive tone. "That's bull shit."

"It isn't!" she contested, a little angry herself. Dom was like her brother. Sure, she didn't agree with him or get along with him 95% of the time, but he was still family and she didn't appreciate Leon trash talking him. "Leon, they're best friends. I think he values Vince's friendship a little more than Jess's skills and you're ability to use a freakin' radio."

"Really? Is that why he told Vince he had less to lose?" Leon shouted back, standing up angrily. "Why he made it perfectly clear that without the garage, your brother would have nothing?"

Michaela took a step back, her eyes hardening. "You must've misunderstood him."

"No, I'm pretty sure I heard him right," he said, with a shake of his head. "Why are you defending him?"

"Because I know him better than you do!" she shouted in exasperation, "And he would _never_ say something like that to my brother! He's not a bad guy!"

"Michaela, I _heard_ him say it!" he yelled back.

"You heard wrong!" she shot back stubbornly. "Dom would never say that!"

Leon could tell she wasn't going to listen to any further discussion. She'd already made up her mind and her opinion wasn't going to change. "I'm a liar then. I guess my ears were playing tricks on me," he said sarcastically.

"I guess so."

He clenched his jaw, trying to hold back, but it was too much. "You can't honestly think I'm making this up, Michaela! That's ridiculous!" he said, his voice a little louder than he wanted it to be.

"No, what you're _saying_ is ridiculous, Lee!"

He shook his head at her before heading for the door. "Whatever, Michaela. Let's go back to the party," he said opening the door. "I don't want to fight with you."

"Are you admitting you're wrong?" she asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

"No, I'm saying fighting with you is a lost cause because nothing I say is going to get through your thick-ass skull!"

He regretted the words the instant finished saying them. Her ice blue eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "_My_ thick skull?" she repeated, acid dripping off her words. "What about you? You stupid, stubborn butt-head!"

"Really, Michaela? _I'm_ stubborn?" he shouted back. When she nodded enthusiastically in response, he threw his hands out to the side in frustration. He wanted to yell back at her, to really curse her out, but he gave up. "Fuck it. I know what I heard, Mickey. I'm not backing down on that."

Michaela shrugged a shoulder. "Fine. I'm not either," she said obstinately before brushing passed him on her way to the door. She stomped up the stairs and into the party, determined to talk to her brother.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Let me know if you did/didn't in a review!

~Love Ink


	4. Carried Away

Many thanks to:

**Sassy Ava: **Yay for making an account! :) Thanks so much for your review! :)

**xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**: I'm glad you're excited! hehe :) Thanks for the review!

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

Here's chapter 4! As always, your reviews are **greatly **appreciated! ;)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 4: Carried Away_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex walked back into the room with a sandwich on one plate, a sliced apple on another and a jar of Nutella under arm. "There you go big guy," she said, handing him the plate before getting on the bed.

His eyebrows rose in surprise. When she'd gotten out of bed to get a snack, he'd jokingly asked her if she could make him a sandwich, but he hadn't anticipated her actually listening to him. "I wasn't really expecting…"

She gave him a soft smile as she shrugged a shoulder. "Seemed like you were having a tough night. Thought I'd do my best to make it better."

Vince felt his heart swell with an emotion he couldn't quite name, but it felt great. Suddenly, his whole dispute with Dom didn't seem so bad. He leant over and kissed her forehead. "You're the best."

"I know," she said with an arrogant shrug of her shoulder. "You want to talk about it?"

He shook his head as he took a bite of the sandwich. "Not really," he muttered around the mouthful of food.

"Mmkay," she said, dipping her apple slice straight into the jar of Nutella.

Once again, he looked at her in complete shock. Never had he been able to tell a woman he didn't want to talk about something and have her just say "okay." The three girls he was used to would push and push until he told them, which only put him in a worse mood. He wracked his brain, trying to think if this was something unusual for Alex and came up blank. He usually just told her what was bothering him when she'd asked. "Thanks."

She glanced over at him, her green eyes mystified. "For what?"

"For not pushing. The other girls, they push and they whine until I'm ready to beat the crap out of them."

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah because I really want you to feel that way about me," she said, foregoing the apple slices and dipping her finger straight into the Nutella jar.

"Is that why you don't push? Because you're scared of me?" he asked around a bite of sandwich.

She shook her head exaggeratedly. "I don't know why you think you're so scary," she muttered more to herself than to him. "I don't push because I don't see the need to. It's not like you went to the basement with some girl, you went down there with Leon, Jesse, and Dominic. Whatever it was you were talking about is between you guys. If you want to unload, I'm here. If not, there's really nothing I can do about it."

"But you're not mad?" he clarified.

"No," she assured him with a light laugh. She wasn't surprised it was taking so long to convince him. She had been forced to talk about something she didn't want to talk about by Mia and Michaela before; it was an exhausting experience for all parties involved. "Unless you four stash girls down there- which I highly doubt because last time I was down there, it was disgusting- I'm not mad."

He nodded as if he understood and she went back to eating. With her attention off of him, he took the opportunity to study her. She wasn't wearing much, just her usual bikini top with a pair of his boxers, clothes she'd only thrown on in case Mickey or Leon were around when she went to get food. She was sitting cross-legged on the sheets, giving him a view of her back. Her smooth caramel skin was marred with scratches from his short fingernails and marks from his beard. A few spots on her neck stood out, an angry red color in the light that flooded in from the window. He'd been too rough with her that he knew, could tell by the finger-shaped bruises starting to show on her hips and thighs. He'd taken all the anger he'd felt at Dom and let it fuel their love making. "I'm sorry, Tiny," he muttered, sitting up and gently running a finger over one of the marks on her back.

She looked at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For what?"

"I hurt you," he said, gently grazing a particularly dark mark on her neck with his knuckle.

She smiled. "Don't worry about it, big guy. I got you back," she said looking at his arm before giving him a wink.

He looked down to find three thin scratches along his upper arm. "_Some_body got a little carried away," he teased, smiling when a wicked grin turned up the corner of her lips.

"I had to get you back _somehow_," she said with a devilish grin. "Are you feeling better?"

Vince polished off his sandwich and nodded. "That was a good sandwich. Thank you, babe," he said leaning over to give her a kiss.

She pushed his face away with Nutella covered fingers, leaving the stuff on his face. "Don't _call_ me that!" she said, giving him a playful glare. He knew that she hated that nickname. She could stand "baby" or "sweetheart" or anything else but "babe" just grated on her nerves.

He blinked at her, his face covered with Nutella. "Oh you're going to get it," he muttered, lunging for her. She was already up and out of the bed, sprinting down the hall.

After pulling on boxers, he chased her down the stairs where they almost ran into Michaela. She looked at them with wide eyes. "What the hell? If this is some kind of sick sex game…"

"It's not," Alex said quickly, giggling when Vince ran into her back.

Michaela eyed the darkening, finger-shaped bruises on Alex's waist before her eyes traveled to the thin claw marks on her brother's arm. She shook her head at them before clearing her throat. "Lex, can I steal my brother? I need to talk to him."

"We're kind of busy, Mickey," Vince stated, wrapping his arms around Alex's bare torso. "Can it wait?"

A brief look of hurt passed over Michaela's features, it was apparent that whatever was bothering her was important and couldn't wait. Alex gave her a reassuring smile. "Babe, we can continue later," she said reaching up to scratch the back of his neck soothingly.

"_Babe_, huh?" he asked, dropping his arms from around her waist.

"Annoying, huh?" she shot back at him with a teasing smile as she skipped to the couch. "Go ahead, I'll watch some TV."

"Wash your hands before you touch my couch," Vince said before turning back to Mickey. "Let's make this fast."

Michaela nodded and begun the trek up the stairs. She stopped in front of her own room and opened the door. At his questioning look, she shrugged a shoulder. "There's no way in hell I'm going anywhere _near_ your bedroom right now. I don't know what you guys were doing in there."

Alex washed the Nutella off her hands with a small smile. She'd left Vince covered in it. With a light laugh, she skipped over to the couch and plopped down on it. She'd just found a decent channel when she heard the door open and shut behind her. Leon walked in, his shoulders slumped, head down. "Hey you," she greeted him casually. "What's wrong?"

"Mickey here?"

She nodded and pointed upstairs. "Talking to Vince. You guys fight?"

"Yeah," he said on a sigh as he threw himself on the couch next to her. "She's being stubborn and usually I just let her win, but this time, I'm right."

"Can Vince prove you're right?"

Leon shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. It's about Dom and whether he said something offensive to V or not. She doesn't believe he'd say something mean about his "best friend" when I clearly heard him say it."

"Dom's a touchy subject with them, huh?" she commented offhandedly.

"What'd _you_ say?" he asked, wondering if she knew from experience.

Alex sighed. "I may have mentioned that he didn't like me. Vince got all defensive and I had to apologize before he got all sad puppy about it."

"Dom _doesn't_ like you," Leon stated easily. "He's said it before. Not to Vince, but to the rest of us. You give Vince a life of his own and Dom can't handle that."

"I _knew_ it!" she exclaimed with a grin. It didn't really bother her that Dom didn't like her. It wasn't like he'd really tried to get to know her and found her to be an awful person, he just resented the time she spent with Vince. She wasn't surprised, she usually felt that way about Fisher's boyfriends in the beginning. "I wasn't crazy after all!"

He smirked. "Well, let's not go _that_ far."

She smacked his arm in mock offense. "So you were coming over here to apologize then?"

"Sort of. I was going to apologize for saying she had a thick-ass skull. I was _hoping_ it'd get me somewhere."

Alex laughed at his gall. "You called told her she had a thick-ass skull? Rookie mistake."

"Shut up."

"You're lucky she didn't smack you."

He chuckled and nodded. "I could see her thinking about it."

"I just wanted to smack him so bad!" Michaela exclaimed as she paced the room. Vince was sitting on her bed in just his boxers, annoyed at his little sister's interruption of what was supposed to be a fun night. "I couldn't believe he was saying!"

He rolled his eyes. She had been saying the same thing for the past ten minutes. "Mickey, what exactly did Leon say?" Vince asked finally.

"He told me Dom said you have to jump the trucks because apparently you have less to lose. But that can't be. Dom wouldn't say that, not to you. Right?"

He let out a long sigh, hanging his head down slightly as the conversation and all the emotions that went with it came surging back to him. "Wrong."

Michaela's eyes widened. "He said that to you?"

"Yeah," he answered, running a hand over his hair. "But you know Dom, he didn't mean it like that. He just didn't say it right."

"You sure? That's a little harsh, V. You know, Lee took it to mean that Dom thought you were expendable."

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "Dom doesn't think that much. He definitely didn't mean that."

"So Leon was kind of wrong," Michaela stated more to herself than to her brother.

He rolled his eyes in response. "Does it matter? Can I get back to my girlfriend now?"

"You've got Nutella on your face and neck. What were you two doing?"

"Don't worry about it," he said with a wicked grin. "Are you done?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's _my_ Nutella, you know."

"Tell Tiny. She was the one eating it," he said getting up slowly. "Go apologize to Lee for being stubborn," he ordered her, pushing her towards the door.

"I'm not stubborn, I'm right," she mumbled.

Vince snorted, shaking his head at her. "You realize you _were_ wrong."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Only a little."

He chuckled as he opened the door and headed toward the stairs. He found Leon sitting on his couch while Alex was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Tiny?" Vince questioned from his spot at the top of the stairs.

Leon nodded toward the opposite side of the couch. "She fell asleep on me mid-conversation. What the hell did you do to her? She's covered in marks."

Vince smirked. "Might've gotten a little carried away."

"Ya think?" Leon said, a protective look on his face as he glanced at the sleeping girl next to him. Shaking his head, he remembered why he came over in the first place."Mickey up there?"

"Yeah. I've convinced her she's half wrong. Either take it and make up or leave it and suffer another one of her annoying speeches," he said on a shrug.

He sighed, running a hand over his slicked back hair. "I'll take it," he muttered on a sigh.

"Take her back to the fort, Lee. Remember our bet," Vince said as he approached the couch.

"Give me a minute. I have to think," he replied, running his hands through his hair.

Vince gave him a disapproving glare, but didn't say anything. He crouched down next to the couch, putting his face level with Alex's. "Tiny," he whispered, reaching out a hand to gently stroke her hair. When she didn't wake up, he slipped his arms underneath her and lifted her up off the couch.

Halfway up the stairs, she stirred slightly, nuzzling her face into his neck. "You awake?" he questioned.

His voice rumbled through his chest, making her grin. "No," she said sleepily. She loved the warm, safe feeling she felt when he held her. With a sneaky grin, she started trailing kisses along the column of his neck.

"I thought you weren't awake," he teased, dipping his head to kiss her shoulder.

She nipped at his neck inciting a low growl from Vince. "You taste like Nutella," she whispered, her breath hot against the skin of his neck. "I _love _Nutella."

He chuckled, walking just a little bit faster. "Maybe you can help me get it off then," he said, setting her on her feet on top of the bed.

She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, her arms looped around his neck. Leaning forward, she licked some off his cheek before giving him a naughty smile. "I think we can work something out."

Michaela could hear Alex's giggling from her spot in the hall. When her brother's low growl joined it, she sprinted towards the stairs. Hearing her brother and her friend get it on was not on the list of her favorite things to do. From her spot at the top of the stairs, she could see Leon. He was sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees, his head bent down so his fingers could run through his hair. She smiled briefly, as butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't believe she'd ever doubted him.

His head lifted and turned, green eyes falling on her. "Hey Princess," he greeted, his voice husky. "Look, I'm sorry for…"

She sat down next to him, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. "For what?" she asked intrigued. He hadn't done anything wrong, but she was curious as to what he'd come up with.

"Uh…I…" he stammered, searching his mind for something, anything.

She quieted him by pressing a finger to his lips. "Baby, you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry for not trusting you."

"So I was right?" he asked with a grin.

"Yes."

"And you were wrong?"

Michaela bit her lip. She wasn't about to admit that, no matter how true it was. "No, I wasn't wrong. I just wasn't all the way right."

Leon chuckled. "No, I'm pretty sure you were wrong," he teased.

She rolled her eyes before a sneaky smirk turned up the corner of her lips. "I bet I can convince you otherwise," she said, tackling him with a kiss.

He caught her easily as she forced him down on the couch, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. Her hands played with his hair as they made out like teenagers complete with awkward over the clothes groping and tons of laughing.

They only stopped when they heard the sound of a whipped cream bottle being sprayed followed by a shrill scream and loud footsteps. Michaela sat up, still straddling Leon, and looked up toward the stairway where Alex appeared covered in whipped cream with Vince chasing after her, yielding the can like a gun. She grabbed a spoonful of Nutella from the jar in her hand and flung it at him and he sprayed her again.

They chased each other towards the back door and out into the backyard. Minutes later, a splash was heard. Michaela and Leon exchanged disgusted glances. "They are so weird," Michaela muttered, rolling her eyes.

Alex laughed as Vince grabbed her around the torso, hauling her up and throwing her over the water. She landed with a splash and shot out of the water, a huge smile on her face. "Again!" she exclaimed on a laugh. She kicked towards him before jumping on him, her arms sliding around his neck. "You know what I've always wanted to try?"

"Pool sex?" he asked hopefully.

"What makes you think I haven't tried that?"

A naughty grin spread across his face as he shrugged. "The fact that you're blushing like a school girl in her first sex-ed class."

Alex silently cursed herself for blushing. "Fine, I'll give you that," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You're close, but it's not what I meant."

"But now you're considering it?" he questioned, his eyebrows raising suggestively as his hands squeezed her butt.

"No! Stop that," she said slapping his cheek playfully. "Are you listening to me or fantasizing?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "A little of both now," he admitted, at her angry look, he chuckled. "I'm listening, Tiny. What would you like to try?"

"An underwater kiss."

He raised an eyebrow. "You, Queen of the surf, have never tried an underwater kiss?"

She shook her head, making water fly off her wet hair. "Eddie didn't like to get his hair wet."

"Good thing I don't mind," he growled before bending his knees so they were both submerged completely.

Michaela and Leon watched them disappear underneath the surface of the water. "You don't think they're…" Leon trailed off, a look of disgust on his face.

"They can't. Vince can't hold his breath that long," Michaela stated confidently. An impish grin spread across her face. "How badly do you want to crash their party?"

Leon smirked; he'd love that. "They'll be pissed. They won the house."

"So?" she asked, pulling her shirt over her head before shimmying out of her jeans. "Who gives a shit? Let's go!"

She was already off and bounding toward the pool before Leon could even get his pants off. She jumped into the pool just as Alex and Vince surfaced. Leon followed after her before shouting, "Cannonball" and plunging into the pool.

Vince rolled his eyes at his sister and friend before pulling Alex to his chest. "I swear we won the house for a few nights," he murmured to her.

Alex nodded. "We did, but then they got in a fight," she explained, her fingers toying with his hair, messing up the perfect slicked back do he had when he'd come up out of the water.

He buried his face in her neck. "So?" he mumbled against the skin there, tickling her with his beard.

"Vince," she said on a giggle. He pulled away and looked at her, his eyebrows raised in question. Leon was making faces at her while Michaela floated peacefully on her back. "I think you guys have all had difficult nights," she said, loud enough for them to hear.

The understanding and care in her eyes made that warm feeling he was starting to become familiar with spread through his stomach. He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Mine was getting better."

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow morning," she said giving him a wink. Michaela made a retching noise in response which was met with a discreet middle finger from Alex.

"Yeah?" he asked, eyes hopeful.

Alex nodded, kissing him again. "Definitely. Let's beat these two party crashers at a chicken fight first."

Michaela sat up, her blue eyes dancing excitedly as she swam towards Leon. "Oh you are _so _on!"

* * *

Love it? Hate it? Want more? Review!

~Love Ink


	5. Little Things

A short filler chappie that's just to highlight some of the relationships a little...the next chapter is going to be a lot more...dramatic (?)

Many thanks to:

**xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx: **I'm glad you like Alex and Vince! :) I don't watch 90210 anymore, so I'll have to take your word for it! ;) Thanks!

**Sassy Ava**: that chapter and this chapter are definitely the calm before the storm... ;) I'm glad you love it!

**sweetist of sin: **I always thought Vince was kind of a teddy bear, I'm glad you like him! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 5: Little Things_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince groaned as the alarm blared loudly. He threw an arm over his eyes as sunlight filtered into the room from the blinds. It was way too early and way too bright. He heard a giggle and opened one eye. "Good morning, Sunshine," her voice greeted him from somewhere else in the room.

"Woman, why?" he whined, flipping onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. "It's so early."

"I have work," Alex answered, pulling on a pair of gym shorts. "You do too, remember?"

"Don't remind me," he grunted. He felt the bed shift with her weight before a soft leg slid over the skin of his back. Her small hands gently massaged the thick muscles on his shoulders. At his groan, she kneaded his back a little harder. "You're not making it any easier, sweetheart."

She giggled, leaning forward to press a kiss to his neck. "C'mon, big guy. Get up," she ordered, slapping his back lovingly as she slid off of him.

He flipped over, glancing over at Alex who was kneeling at his side on the bed. She was wearing his old football jersey and a pair of black spandex shorts. His jersey was far too large on her and hung off one of her shoulders, exposing a red patch on her collar bone. Her dark hair was tied in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck, strands of it falling into her face. She looked beautiful. Her cheeks darkened in a blush when their eyes met. "What?" she asked, pushing a stand of hair behind her ear, it didn't stay there and flopped right back into her face.

"Nothing," he said, moving the strand out of her face. "You look good in my jersey is all."

She played with the hem of the jersey. "I found it in your drawers and I kind of liked it."

"Mickey's been dying to get her hands on it for years," he said with a chuckle. "You can have it."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Sure. It doesn't fit me anymore."

"Thanks, big guy," she said, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. His stomach gurgled and she grinned. "Hungry?" she asked, touching his stomach gently.

Whatever hunger for food dissipated as her fingers slowly trailed up and down his stomach. "Only for you," he growled, attacking her with his lips.

When they finally made it across the street for breakfast, Michaela's jaw dropped when Alex walked in with Vince's jersey on. "Hey! That's mine!" she exclaimed.

While Alex and Michaela bickered over the ownership of the jersey, Mia and Letty exchanged glances. If what Alex said was true and Vince really had given her the jersey, it was a huge step in their relationship. Vince didn't give things easily. He wasn't the doting boyfriend who bought a girl flowers or presents randomly; he was the guy who gave things when he saw fit, when he really cared. Though Vince would never admit it, giving her that jersey was a sign of his love for her. At least, that's what Mia came up with. She was almost positive that his feelings had gotten more serious for Alex, and after hours of coercion and a few shots, Alex had admitted she'd fallen head over heels for him.

Michaela stood up from the table first, giving Leon a quick peck on the lips as she glanced at Alex. "Need a ride, jersey stealer?" she asked.

Alex rolled her eyes while she nodded. "I did not steal it!" she exclaimed, standing up from the table. "Your brother gave it to me. Right, V?"

Vince bobbed his head up and down. "Yeah," he muttered around a mouthful of food. He swallowed and looked up at her expectantly. With a bright smile, she leant over and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Be good you two," he called after them as they headed towards the front door.

"Where's the fun in that?" Michaela shot back, giving Alex a wink as they heard her brother grumble in response.

Michaela unlocked the doors of her new Celica convertible. After she quit her job in Vegas, she had gotten rid of the Corvette. Once she got her cast off, Leon and Vince surprised her with the gorgeous gun-metal gray convertible. At the moment, it was just plain, no design graphics, but she was working on them. Tossing her dance bag into the back, she waited for Alex to get in before starting the car.

"Everything cool with you and Lee?" Alex asked, just to make conversation as they begun their drive toward the dance studio.

Michaela nodded. "Yeah, he ended up being sort of right in the end. He usually is," she said on a sigh. "Don't tell him a said that."

"My lips are sealed," she replied on a giggle at Michaela's stern glare. "You guys don't fight often do you?"

"Nope. He's too easy going for us to really butt heads," she explained with a wave of her hand. "Plus, he's kind of a pushover."

Alex smiled and nodded. "When he came over, he was trying to think of what to apologize to you for. I fell asleep between "sorry for calling you thick-headed" and "sorry for even mentioning it." It was a little ridiculous."

Michaela laughed, hitting the steering wheel with the palm of her hand as she did so. "You fell asleep?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.

"I was exhausted!" Alex defended, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Your brother gave me a really good work out, if you know what I mean…"

"Oh gross!" Michaela gagged in response. "I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. What was with you two last night? A food fight, really? What are you, eight?"

She shrugged. "He was having a hard night. I just wanted to cheer him up."

"Did you have to be so loud about it, though? I mean, you guys woke us up this morning! It was _the_ most disgusting alarm clock I've ever heard."

"Well, we were _supposed _to have the place to ourselves, Mickey," Alex reminded her, her cheeks becoming a darker shade of red.

Michaela wrinkled her nose as she pulled into the parking lot. "And tomorrow you can _have_ it. I never want my poor ears to hear that again! And holy crap, did you come out with marks galore! What the hell happened in there?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feigning innocence as she got out of the car.

"You don't know what I'm talking about," Michaela repeated sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She lifted up Alex's shirt. "I'm talking about these finger bruises." She pressed on a particularly dark one.

"Ow!" Alex exclaimed, slapping her hand away.

"And that _huge _hickey that you failed at covering up," she said pointing to the partially covered hickey on Alex's neck.

"He may have gotten a little…carried away," Alex said before placing her hand over the spot Michaela had pointed out. "Is it that bad? I have to teach kids today!"

"You want me to help you? Mia's got this amazing…"

"No!" Alex shouted, cutting her off. She had experience with Mia's "amazing trick" and it hurt like hell. "I'll just put my hair over it. Thanks."

"Are you sure? It's pretty noticeable."

Alex nodded her head emphatically. "I'm going to _kill _your brother for this. I swear he does it on purpose some times."

Michaela grinned. "Oh he definitely does, but you like it you dirty, dirty girl."

* * *

Review, review, review, please! :)

~Love Ink


	6. Dark Clouds

Special thanks to my amazing reviewers: **Gingermegs **(hope your staff behaves better today!), **Sassy Ava**, **xxxlil-miss-mercer-xxx**, **sweetist of sin**, and **lover of many things804**! Your reviews make my day! :D

Let me know what you think of this chapter... :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 6: Dark Clouds_

**By: LoveInk**

Dom stalked through the garage toward Jesse's office. He didn't bother knocking, just walked right in. He did own the garage, after all.

"Dom!" Jesse exclaimed his blue eyes both shocked and excited; it was rare the boss came into his office. "What's up, man?"

"I need you to run a few background checks," he said handing him a Post-it. "If we're going to be doing these heists, we gotta make sure everyone's clean."

Jesse nodded in understanding as he read the first one. "You want me to run Michaela's name?"

"It's just a precaution," Dom said with a shrug as he sat down on the chair next to Jesse. He watched, completely entranced as Jesse's fingers glided over the keyboard. "You're crazy, kid."

The blonde boy chuckled before pointing to the computer screen. "Mickey's got a parking ticket," he answered. "Aaand that's about it. She doesn't even have any speeding tickets."

Dom scoffed. "That's because she sucks at racing," he muttered.

Jesse chuckled. "Next."

"Harry."

He clicked around and typed a little more. "Clean enough. Stolen parts, speeding tickets, nothing we don't already know. Next."

"Hec."

Jesse rolled his eyes, but did it anyway. "He's fine. Next."

Dom cleared his throat, rubbing a hand over his bald head. "Alex."

The blonde kid's eyes left the screen and glanced at Dom, shocked. "Vince specifically said not to."

"I don't give a shit what he said," Dom replied, shaking his head. "I don't know her and I don't trust her."

Jesse stretched his fingers over the keys, reluctant to type in her name. "C'mon Dom…Vince doesn't ask for much."

"Would you just do it already?" Dom urged.

With a sigh, he finally typed in her name. "She's clean, squeaky clean. Probably because her brother-in-law is an FBI agent."

Dom's eyebrows skyrocket up his forehead. "You gotta be kiddin' me."

"No," Jesse said shaking his head. "He lives in Vegas. I bet he helped out when the girls got in the accident."

"Yeah," he said on a nod. "She close with him?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "The hell if I know. She's got a tight knit family, though, so probably."

Dom ran a hand over his face as he stood. "Tell Vince I want to see him in my office."

Jesse watched him leave with a curious look on his face. Why didn't he just ask Vince himself? He was right outside. Shrugging, he got up from his chair and headed to the car Vince was working on. "Hey V," he greeted, leaning over the engine to see what he was working on.

"What's up, kid?" he replied, looking up from the engine with a smile on his face. He'd had an amazing morning with Alex and to put icing on the cake, it was likely he'd get off of work early since the car he was working on was an easy fix.

"Dom wants to see you."

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "What's he want?"

"I don't know. He came into my office, we talked, and then he told me to go get you."

Vince looked confused. "Why didn't he come here himself?"

"Dunno."

"All right, thanks kid," he said, patting Jesse on the shoulder.

He rolled his eyes, wondering what would make Dom send Jesse over instead of coming over himself. After closing the hood of the car he was working on, he grabbed a rag to wipe his hands and headed over to the office. Leaning against the doorjamb, he cleared his throat to catch Dom's attention. The bald man looked up at him and gestured him in. "Shut the door. I don't want Mia hearing."

Vince nodded, shut the door, and sat down on the arm of the couch in the office. "What's up Dominic?"

"How much do you know about Alex's family?" Dom asked folding his hands on the desk and trying his best to look menacing.

Vince fought the urge to roll his eyes. It had been years since Dom scared him. "Enough. Why?"

"Do you know what her brother-in-law does?"

"One's some director while the other works for the government."

Dominic smirked. "Do you know what branch of the government her brother works for?"

Vince shook his head despite the fact that he knew exactly which branch of the government Rube worked for. It was a secret he'd been trying to keep from Dom as long as possible because he knew what that information could potentially lead to. "Not a clue," he replied easily. "Why?"

"Well, I did a background check on her-"

"You _what_?" Vince roared, standing up angrily and stalking over to the desk. "Are you fucking kidding me, Dominic? I told you it wasn't necessary!"

Dominic shrugged a shoulder, he wasn't afraid of Vince either. He knew that they were evenly matched in a fight. "Vince, we are hijacking _semis_. I'm running background checks on _every_one. Your sister included. I'm not going back to jail because someone couldn't keep their mouth shut to their FBI brother-in-law. Yeah, that's right, Ruben Miralles, married to Isabelle Salvatore, sister to Alexandra Salvatore works for the FBI. She's a threat, Vince."

Vince snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're being ridiculous."

"Am I? Doesn't she talk to her sister every day? You don't think she talks to her about _you_?" Dom threw the questions at him rapid fire, not waiting for Vince to answer. "And what if the FBI gets interested in us? You don't think her brother would ask her for information?"

"He might, but I don't think she would give it," Vince defended angrily. "She's not that type of person!"

Dom wasn't convinced. "You don't _think_ she would but you don't _know_ that for a fact. Blood is thicker than water, V, and I'm not taking any chances on a girl _I_ hardly know."

"So what do you want me to do? Lie to her?"

He shook his head again, his face grim. "She's too smart for that."

"I'm not going to leave her," Vince stated sternly. "Not for this shit."

Minutes before calling Vince in, Dom had gone over every possibility in his head before he'd come up with the same conclusion as Vince just did. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't hate Alex. Sure, he didn't like her, but if she didn't have this stupid government connection, he wouldn't have minded her sticking around. But that wasn't the case. She _did _have connections with a very big law enforcement agency and he wasn't taking any chances. There was no way he was going to go back to jail because some girl couldn't keep quiet.

"We're your family, Vince, and we need your help. Are you really going to pick a girl over _us_?" Dom asked. "How long have we been by your side? Me, Mia, Letty, Mickey, all of us. We'd do it for you."

Vince knew what Dom said was true. Dom would do anything for his family which is why they were getting involved in the heists in the first place. The shop was running out of money fast and without the money from the heists, Dom would have to sell his family's businesses. "Yeah," he answered, sitting down heavily in his chair. He ran a hand over his hair. "There's no other option?" he questioned, reluctant to accept that the only way to be safe was to leave Alex.

"She's just a girl, Vince. There's plenty more of them out there who can give you what you need," Dom said with a shrug. "You'll find someone again. It's not like you love her or anything."

Vince wasn't so sure about the last part. He wasn't willing to admit it openly to Dom, but he'd grown pretty attached to Alex. "Can I wait a few more days?"

"The first heist is tomorrow night, V. You should probably do it before then," Dom answered before going back to whatever he was doing before Vince walked in. "You can have the rest of the day off."

"Thanks," he muttered before heading out the door.

He took out his cell phone and dialed Alex's number. She answered on the first ring. "Hey, big guy. What's up?" she questioned cheerily.

"Dom gave me the rest of the day off. You free?"

"Yep!" she chirped. "Just finished my classes for the day. I'm on my way to the beach. Care to join me?"

"I'll meet you there."

They spent the day on the boardwalk having a good time while riding the rides, and shopping. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she got into the roller coaster seat, the way she laughed at herself whenever she'd trip, and the way she swung their hands back in forth as they walked. He would smile along with her; all the while the prospect of what he had to do the next day loomed over him like a dark cloud. He thought briefly about disobeying Dom, but reconsidered it. Dom was his best friend; he wouldn't make him do this unless it was absolutely necessary.

The sun was just starting to set when Vince plopped himself down in the sand, pulling Alex with him. Laughing, she fell clumsily onto the sand between his legs. He wrapped an arm around her torso and pulled her close against him before burying his face into her neck. She laughed again as his rough beard tickled her. "You smell like sunscreen," he mumbled into the skin there.

"Weird. I don't think I put any on today," she mused.

She could feel him smile against her neck before he set his chin on her shoulder. "Tiny, you always smell like sunscreen and coconut stuff. You smell like…summer."

"Is that your favorite season?" she questioned curiously.

He nodded. "It's my favorite smell too." He loved the smell of her. It was something he'd become familiar with, something that had infiltrated everything he owned. He could smell it on his old sweatshirts that she loved wearing, on his pillows, and even in his car. It was a strangely comforting scent, one he would miss when she was gone. Sighing, he remembered exactly what loomed ahead of him. "Hey Tiny, are you close with your brother-in-laws?"

Alex wrinkled her brows in confusion. "Sure, I guess. I've known them practically my whole life."

"Have you helped either of them with a job before?"

Alex turned her head to look back at him, a questioning look on her face. "I've helped Remy choreograph some dances for music videos. Rube deals mostly with illegal things. I'm not much help to him there. I think he realized that after he questioned me about the whole Vegas thing."

Vince chuckled as he remembered the "big black monster car", her description of the Hummer that had run them off a road. "I never did make you those flashcards," he mused with a chuckle.

"It's not like I'd be able to read your handwriting anyways," she teased him. He tickled her sides, smiling as she wriggled against him, her laughs and screams filling the air with joy. Once he stopped she took a few deep breaths to calm down, letting her fingers graze absentmindedly over his jean clad leg. "Where are all these questions coming from, boo? Do you want a job with the FBI or something?"

He laughed at that. Work for the FBI? Him? Not in a million years. He'd rather be homeless than work for any type of law enforcement. "No," he answered quickly. "I was just curious."

"Rube and Izzy are moving to LA soon. He just got offered a higher paying position here. It'll be nice to have them around," she commented with a smile.

With those words, Vince knew Dom had been right. He had to let her go to protect the team, to protect his family. "Yeah," he replied, hugging her closer to his chest. He placed a kiss on her soft shoulder before placing his chin on top of it. The idea that this was the last time he'd ever get to hold her crossed his mind and he pulled her in even closer.

Alex leaned her head back on his shoulder to get a good look at his face. His blue eyes were watching the sunset while his fingers drew lazy shapes on her stomach. He was deep in thought, so she took a moment to really study him. He really was handsome, in a rugged way. She loved that he didn't bother with his hair, that it didn't take him five hours to get ready like it did Eddie. She loved the gentle way in which he touched her and the way he nuzzled his face into her soft skin, leaving behind red beard burn. She'd never admit it, but she loved those marks. She thought of it as his way of saying "this girl is mine. I pick her to be with me." She still couldn't believe that out of all the girls that threw themselves at him, he picked her.

He raised an eyebrow when he finally caught her staring. "What?"

_I love you_, her brain replied, but she just smiled in response. "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," he said doubtfully. He pecked her temple lovingly. "I'd love to know what goes on in that head of yours, woman."

"I'm sure you would."

* * *

So? Did you like it? Let me know in a review! :)

~Love Ink


	7. Just a Girl

Many thanks to my amazing reviewers: **Sassy Ava**, **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Rmeyer90, **and **Gingermegs**! You guys are awesome!

Yes, Dom is a complete butthead. :p but I love him anyway, I swear I do! :)

I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 7: Just a Girl_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince woke up feeling miserable. He was alone. Alex had had to go to some bogus rehearsal the night before and hadn't come back over. It was a rare occurrence that he woke up alone; he usually let himself into her house or she would sneak into his. This was the first night they hadn't slept next to each other in months. Sighing, he got up and took a shower. Once he was out, he brushed his teeth quickly before heading over to the fort. He was surprised to find the table relatively empty. Only Letty and Dominic remained seated. "Where is everyone?" he grunted, heading to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and breakfast from the oven.

"Michaela is at work, Lee is at work, Mia's in class, and Jess is still dead to the world since it's his day off," Letty explained quickly before pushing away from the table. "And I need to go to open the damn store. I'll see you boys later." She gave Dom a quick kiss and playfully mussed Vince's hair before walking out the door.

Vince sat down with his plate, digging in quietly. Dom cleared his throat. "You ready for tonight?"

He raised an eyebrow, wondering if Dom just trying to make conversation. How could he be ready to jump off one truck onto another? It wasn't something you could really practice. "Sure," he grunted in response.

"You take care of the girl?"

He stopped chewing, all of a sudden feeling sick to his stomach. He'd completely forgotten all about Dom's stupid idea. Swallowing, he tossed his fork down, done with his meal after two bites. "Fuck Dom, I'm not going to kill her."

"But you did break up with her? Last night?"

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "Not yet," he mumbled.

"Vince," Dom reprimanded, looking very unpleased. "When are you going to take care of it?"

"Would you stop talking about her like that?" Vince shouted, slapping a hand on the table.

He sighed and ran a hand over his bald head. "She's just a girl. Same as all the other girls at the races. She's nothing but trouble, V."

Vince took one last gulp of coffee and nodded. "Whatever, Dom," he said, standing to put his mug in the sink before heading for the door.

"Vince!" Dom called after him.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning around to glance at the bald man.

"Take care of it."

He rolled his eyes at Dom and opened the door. "Fucking bald-ass dickhead," he muttered under his breath as he headed to his Maxima. He started up the car, sighing as his music pumped through the stereo. Turning down the radio, he set his forehead on his steering wheel. This was not going to be easy. He decided to take the longest route to work he could while he thought of the best way to let the girl he cared for so much go.

"You're late," Leon called as soon as Vince stepped into the shop.

"Fuck off, Leon," Vince growled heading toward the car he was working on. He sat down on the creeper and slid under it. Staring up at the engine, he sucked in a deep breath before pulling out his phone.

* * *

Alex got home from the studio and threw herself on the couch. She'd had a particularly hard day with the Tiny Hip-hoppers. How she had let Fisher convince her to open a dance class for pre-schoolers, she'd never know. Rubbing at her temples, she tried to banish away a headache. The house phone rang making her wince. Grumbling tiredly, she stood and headed over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Tiny," Vince's low voice came from the other end.

The fact he was calling her house should've tipped her off that something was not right; he usually called her cell phone because she always answered that phone. Calling the house phone was a hit or miss. "Hey big guy. What's up?" she questioned, a smile on her face.

"Can I come over? I need to talk to you," he said on a sigh. She could practically see him running his hands through his hair.

There was something in his voice that made her uneasy. Shaking her head, she ignored the notion. What could possibly have gone wrong in the few hours they'd been apart? Was he mad that she didn't go over to his house the night before? "Sure, baby. C'mon over."

She knew something was wrong when she heard his tires roll up the driveway with no music accompanying them; Vince only turned the radio off when he was thinking about something difficult. She opened the door to meet him on the porch. "What's wrong?"she asked immediately, her dark green eyes worried.

Vince felt his heart sink to the very bottom of his chest at her concern. No girl had ever been able to read him as well as Alex could. No girl had ever cared enough to learn how. "I don't…I can't..." He couldn't find the words to tell her. "Alex, I don't think we should see each other anymore," he said finally.

Her eyes widened in shock. "What?" she choked out, taking a few steps away from him. "Why?"

"I'm no good for you," he muttered, yearning to pull her into his arms as her face fell.

"Since when?" she questioned, her voice a few octaves higher than usual. He shrugged in response and she took in a deep breath. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded trying her best to keep from crying.

The despair on her face ripped Vince's heart in two, but he had to do it. It was for her benefit and his family's that he was ending it. "Because you deserve better," he muttered miserably. It was a true statement, but it wasn't the real reason he was breaking up with her.

Her hand brushed across her cheek in an attempt to hide the tears that were slowly falling, but he saw them. He'd never seen her cry before and was glad for it because watching those tears fall made him feel like he couldn't breathe. Unable to handle watching her cry, he turned away from her and walked back to his car as fast as he could, hoping that he wouldn't have to see her suffer anymore.

She stopped him by grabbing his wrist tightly in her hand. "What if I don't want better?" she demanded, her voice obstinate. She was not about to let him go, not without a fight. Her hand reached up to cup his face, forcing him to look at her. "Vince, I want _you_. I _love_ you."

Vince felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. She loved him. He knew she meant it, could tell by the serious look in her dark green eyes. In that instant, he knew he loved her too. But he'd already gone too far to turn back, though. He had to do this. For his family. Swallowing hard, he managed to get out, "This is for the best, Alex, trust me."

That's when she caught it, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes; it was gone just as quickly as it had come, but it had been there. "You don't want to do this," she said slowly. It wasn't a question, it was statement. "It's written all over your face, Vince, you don't want to-"

"Alex," he cut her off, taking her wrist in his hand and pulling it away from his face. He didn't deny her statement, but he wasn't about to tell her she was right either. "Don't. This is the right thing."

"No." She shook her head, feeling anger bubble up inside of her. Why was he doing this? They'd been fine yesterday. "You're wrong."

He glanced down at her small hand encircling his wrist. "Let me go, Alex," he urged softly.

She looked up at him, studying his face for any hint of what he was feeling. There was nothing there anymore. Whatever she had seen, he'd hidden it away quickly when she'd called him on it. "No," she replied defiantly.

"C'mon Alex, don't do this. Just let me go," he replied more sternly this time. When she didn't move, he wrenched his wrist forcefully away.

A broken gasp escaped her lips and he fought hard against the instinct to apologize. "How am I supposed to let you go?" she wondered angrily, her voice shaking. "You won't even give me a reason why!"

"I have to go," he said, opening his car door.

"Fine, run like the coward you are, Vince!" she spat at him, hoping it would get some kind of rise out of him. She was trying to make him angry, trying to make him feel something. She got nothing out of him; he slipped into the car and started the engine. "Go ahead," she continued loudly, "run back to Dominic! Tell him you're finally free!"

Vince winced at that one, wondering if she knew how right she was or if she was merely saying things to hurt him. Either way, the comment had stung. He pulled out of the driveway and sped away from her without turning to look back.

Alex watched him drive away, the tears in her eyes blurring the red glow of his taillights. That was it. He was done with her. Frustration and anger overwhelmed her. How could she have been so stupid? Trusting him like that. Telling him she loved him. Did she think that was going to make him stay? She had been warned about his penchant for short relationships and the way he used women. Why did she think she was any different? _Because he treated you differently, _her mind answered.

She slammed the front door shut behind her and leant against it. Where had she gone wrong? Had she missed something? Was she not good enough? She slid down the cold, hard surface until she hit the floor, gasping for breath as she felt her heart break. Pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes, she willed her tears to stop. He was gone. It was over. No amount of tears would bring him back.

Vince looked at his phone. He'd dialed her number and erased it more times than he could count. Every time he got up the nerve to call her, to apologize, he would remember what Dom had said and back down. _This was the right thing to do. I did it for my family. She's just a girl. _He repeated those words in his head over and over hoping that the repetition would make him believe it, make it hurt less. It didn't.

He took another sip of his beer, his sixth one. He'd bought a twelve pack on his way back from Alex's and was steadily working his way through it trying his hardest to dull the throbbing pain he was feeling in his heart. He hadn't felt pain that went so deep in a long time. Not since his parents had died. "She's just a girl," he finally said aloud as if saying them would make them sound true. "Just a girl." _Yeah, but she _loved _you_, he thought to himself as he sucked down what was left in the bottle.

* * *

Gah! Sorry its a bit of a downer! :(

Did you like it? Hate it? Wish something else had happened?

Let me know in a review!

~Love Ink


	8. Coping

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers:

**Gingermegs **- That was one of the hardest chapters to write! Maybe Dom will wake up to himself soon...I doubt it. ;) Thanks!

**Rmeyer90 - **Don't cry! :( Thanks for the review! :)

**Sassy Ava - **Don't cry! :( Vince probably should've told Dom to fuck off, but a part of him agreed with Dom...

**No Name - **I don't see either of them being out of character. In the first movie, Dominic is portrayed as a family man who does not want to go to jail and also wants to protect his family. He wants to protect the ones he loves so much so that in Fast & Furious he leaves the love of his life, Letty. Alex is a girl he doesn't really care about or trust. He doesn't see/ chooses not to acknowledge just how much Vince cares for her. And Vince is loyal. We see that in the movie when Dom treats him like crap and yet, he still goes through with the heists. Dom isn't really bossing Vince around; he's putting ideas into his head. Vince doesn't do it because Dom told him to, he does it because he thinks it's the right thing to do to protect his family.

As for Alex, she's not going to be sidelined or alienated. She and Michaela run the dance studio together, she and Leon are tight, and she's close with Mia as well. They're not going to abandon her. This being said, she's is not a part of the team. And she never will be as far as I'm concerned. The team is an established entity consisting of Dominic, Letty, Vince, Jesse, and Leon. Mia's not even part of the team. (She tells Brian that "they" call themselves a team.) I'm not going to say whether or not Dom will like Alex or accept her because I haven't gotten that far. But I can tell you this, she's definitely not going to save the day. She doesn't have the power to do that.

Thank you for your review and your honesty. I hope you keep reading and I hope your opinion changes as the story goes on. If not, please let me know how I can make it better.

**Sorry, just had to explain myself a little bit...Thanks for all your reviews (good and bad)! Keep them coming please! :)**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 8: Coping_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela walked into her backyard in search of her brother. It was almost time for Dom's barbeque and he was late; Vince had never been late to a barbeque in his life. She found him lying back on one of the lawn chairs, empty beer bottles strewn on the grass around him. He was asleep or passed out with a half empty bottle dangling from one hand. _What happened here?_, she thought, side-stepping bottles on her way over to him.

"V?" When she got no response, she wearily reached out a hand and poked his shoulder. "Vince!" she yelled, louder this time.

Vince came to with a start, blinking in the sunlight as he looked up at her with hazy eyes. "Mickey? What are you doing here?"

"I _live_ here," she answered, looking at him like he had a third head. "What are _you_ doing here? Dinner's almost ready."

He sat up and the world spun around him. Shaking his head, he lay back down. "Fuck it. I'm not hungry."

Michaela's jaw actually dropped this time. She'd never heard her brother say those words. "What is going _on_ here? Not only are you drunk off your ass, but you're not _hungry_. Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"I'm fine," he slurred, running his hands through his hair. "I'm really okay. Just great."

"Did you call Alex? She hasn't shown up either and she's never late."

Vince winced at her name as though it caused him physical pain. "Fuck."

She took in her brother's reaction and the wheels in her head started turning. "What did you do, Vince?"

"Nothing."

"Bull shit," she accused, her voice getting loud with anger. "What did you do, Vincent?" she pushed again.

"I broke up with her, all right?" he roared back. "We're done," he uttered more quietly this time.

"Why the hell would you do a thing like that?"

"Because I'm not good enough for her," he answered his voice soft and pain ridden. It wasn't the exact reason, but it was something he'd been thinking about for awhile now. Plus, telling Michaela that he broke up with Alex because of the heists was sure to piss her off even more. "Because a criminal like me doesn't _deserve _her!"

_Where did an idea like that come from,_ Michaela thought. "A criminal…"

Vince interrupted her, "I'll find someone else."

"_Will_ you?"

"Who cares?"

Michaela scoffed. "_I_ care! Vince, I want you to be happy!"

"I _am_ happy," he said, his face completely miserable. "This was _my _choice and it's for the best," he muttered stubbornly. She wondered if he was telling her or telling himself.

"Wow, you're stupid!" growled Michaela, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration.

He nodded. "I know," Vince agreed, his voice sounding broken. She had been angry with him before, but something in his tone broke Michaela's heart in two. He stood up, his shoulders slumping forward as he headed inside. "Tell Dominic I'm not coming tonight."

Michaela watched him leave, her mind completely confused. There were so many things wrong with this situation. She headed across the street and to the backyard where Mia was setting the table and Dom was dousing the chicken in barbeque sauce. "My brother isn't hungry," she announced, sitting down at the table.

The fork Mia was holding fell out of her hand. "I'm sorry, what?" she questioned, her eyes wide in shock.

"Yeah, he's not hungry and he broke up with Alex," Michaela rattled on. She looked at Leon who had already pushed back from the table, a worried look on his face. "Go," she urged him. "Fisher is in New York. She needs you."

Leon nodded as he stood. "Thanks Princess," he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before darting to his car.

Michaela watched him leave before turning back to Dom. "He also told me to tell _Dominic_ that he wasn't coming to dinner tonight."

Mia looked to Dom whose jaw was clenched in anger, his shoulders tight; he hated it when people skipped out on his dinner. He shook his head briefly before going back to the barbeque. "What's that supposed to mean, Dom?" she asked suspiciously.

"That he's not coming to dinner tonight," Dom shot back as though it was obvious.

"Hmm," Mia drew out. She handed off the remaining silverware to Michaela. "Finish this. I'm going to talk to your brother."

Michaela eyed her wearily. "Mia, he's not really in the mood…"

But Mia was already halfway down the driveway and heading towards the house across the street fast. She rang the doorbell, for once being considerate about his privacy.

Vince opened the door a crack looking miserable. "Look, Mi, if you're gonna yell…"

"I'm not going to yell at you, V," Mia said calmly. "I wanted to see if you were all right and ask you something."

Sighing, Vince let her inside. He sat down awkwardly on the couch and gestured to the loveseat adjacent. "Ask away."

"Since when do you listen to Dom?" she asked.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, how did she know that? "What?"

Mia hadn't known for sure that Dom was behind the break up, but Vince's surprised reaction assured her. "Oh please, don't tell me you broke up with Alex because you honestly think it's the best thing for her. You're _not_ that dumb, V!" Mia explained with a roll of her eyes. "But _Dom_ is that selfish. I bet he told you to break up with her, didn't he? To keep the FBI from sniffing around? Was that his reasoning?"

"Something like that," he muttered. "I only did it because he's got a point, Mi. Think about it. She could easily rat us out and then we'd all be done for."

"You really think she'd do that to you?" Mia asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. "I mean, maybe to _Dom_ but to _you_?"

Vince shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Did you ever think of just not telling her?" Mia exclaimed. He gave her a look that clearly said he couldn't keep something like the truck heists a secret from Alex. "Okay, so tell her something bad is going on and you can't tell her, but that you want to be with her regardless. She'll be okay with it as long as she has you."

"You don't think she'll find out?" Vince shot back at her. "She's not an idiot, Mia!"

"Vince, this the girl you _love_!" she exclaimed, standing up to emphasize her point. He gave her a heated glare which she waved off. "Don't you deny it, Vincent Catella! You have fallen for her and fallen for her hard. Ever since the moment I saw the way you two look at each other, I've noticed you've been falling. And it's been amazing! She makes you tolerable even on your worst, grumpiest days! And you, you make her have _fun! _You give her a confidence she never had with Eddie! You two freaking _complete_ each other!"

Vince snorted and shook his head. "You watch too many romantic movies, Mia. She's just a girl."

Mia sighed, frustration bubbling up inside her. "If you seriously think that; you're a hell of a lot dumber than I thought you were."

* * *

Leon rang the doorbell of Alex's house and waited. He had the key, but he knew better than to burst inside; if she didn't want to talk, she'd be pissed. She opened the door quickly, her eyes hopeful. When she saw it was him, her shoulders slumped sadly. "Hi," she said sniffling while wiping at her eyes. They were red, a clear indication that she'd be crying.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping inside.

She wiped her nose with a tissue and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm fine," she lied, trying for a smile. A tear slipped down her face and she quickly swiped it away. She headed to the couch and sat down. "Sort of."

"Aww, Shorty," he murmured, sitting down next to her and wrapping an arm tightly around her shoulders. Her shoulders shook as she buried her face into his chest. "What happened?"

"I don't know," she sobbed, her voice muffled by his jersey. She hated crying in front of people and usually only did it front of Fisher, but Fish wasn't around so Leon would have to do. "He said it was for the best. What the hell does that mean?" she asked, pulling away and looking up at him with tear stained cheeks.

Leon sighed, swiping away her tears with his thumb. He had no idea what Vince meant by that. Sure, V had never thought he deserved Alex, but he never said anything about leaving her because of it. "I don't know," he said with a frown.

She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. "I told him I loved him, Lee," she admitted, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. "It didn't change anything."

"Did you tell him because it's true or because you wanted him to stay, Lex?" Leon questioned boldly. Alex let out a small gasp before shrugging a shoulder. When her eyes met his, he had his answer; she really did love Vince. "It's all right, baby girl."

"I'm an idiot. I knew he was like this, Lee. I knew he wasn't going to stay with me. I was warned about his past, but a part of me hoped…hoped he'd still pick me."

Leon sighed, he thought Vince would pick her too. "You guys were fine yesterday right?"

She pulled her knees up to her chest and nodded. "Yeah. We went to the beach and just talked and laughed and..." She gasped for air as though the memory physically hurt her.

"There's was nothing weird?"

"He asked about my family," she said softly. "If I helped any of my brother-in-laws with their jobs. But that's not weird. Vince is the king of random questions."

Leon saw the connection then. Alex didn't know about the upcoming heists, but he sure as hell did. If Vince was asking about her FBI brother-in-law, Leon was almost positive the break-up had to do with Dominic and his usual paranoia. He knew Dom didn't like or trust Alex. He'd been thinking of ways to kick her out of their lives for awhile now, and it seemed he had finally succeeded. Whatever idea he put into Vince's head at been a good enough to make him do this. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said pulling her in close and kissing her temple. "I don't know else what to say. I'm not good at this shit."

She let out a light laugh, wiping at her eyes with her sleeves. "You did fine," she said giving him a small smile. "I just needed someone to listen."

"You going to be okay?"

Alex let out a long breath. "Sure. I'll be fine. I just need a long, hot shower. Feel free to leave or watch TV or something," she said gesturing to the TV.

She headed into her bathroom and pulled off her clothes. Standing in front of the mirror in only her bra and panties, she did a quick study of herself, picking out every flaw she could find. Maybe she was too curvy, her tattoo too tacky, maybe he didn't like her hairstyle; she never did anything special with it. Her hand gently swooped her hair up into a mock bun. She looked fancier. Sort of. Maybe he'd like it. Her eyes stopped on a dark mark on her neck.

Letting her hair fall back down, she gently fingered the fading mark. She'd gotten mad at him for that one. More than one of her students and their parents had noticed it. "Stupid," she muttered under her breath as more tears filled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was calling him stupid or her own reflection.

Before those tears fell, Alex turned on the shower and got in. She made it as hot as her body would tolerate and just stood there. The water lulled her into a calmer state. She scrubbed her body clean as though it would erase all traces of him, as if it would make her forget.

Leon wasn't really paying attention to the action movie he'd put on the TV. He was listening intently to hear when the shower stopped. She'd been in there for almost an hour and he was starting to worry. Finally, the water turned off and after a few minutes, she walked back into the living room wearing a simple black tank top and pair of Vince's sweatpants.

He had to admit she looked better than she did when he first got there, though she in no way looked fine. Her eyes were determined as though she was working hard not to feel anything. She gave him a smile that in no way reached her eyes. "See? I'm fine now."

He doubted that. Before he could voice his opinion, the front door swung open and Michaela barged in. "My brother is an idiot!" she announced, pushing Leon aside and wrapping her arms around the smaller girl. "I don't know _what_ he was thinking! Are you okay?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah."

Leon fought the urge to roll his eyes. Seconds ago, she was sobbing and now she looked like it hadn't fazed her. He knew what she was doing, knew it because he did the same thing when he was hurt; bottled everything up and put on a brave face so no one would know how much pain he was really feeling. "Bull shit," he muttered under his breath earning himself a glare from Alex. "What? You were _not_ fine when I got here!"

"Le_on_," Michaela chastised, scowling at her boyfriend.

"What?" he asked on a shrug. "It's true! When I got here, you were a mess, Lex. It's not good for you to bottle this shit up."

Alex shook her head in disagreement. "I'm not bottling _anything_ up. I'm fine."

He opened his mouth to say something back, but Michaela intervened. "Stop," she ordered her boyfriend. "You're not helping."

Leon glared at her. "But…"

"Shush. I'll be right back," she said to Alex, grabbing him and pulling him towards the front door. Once outside, she glared right back at him. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Mickey, she was _sobbing_ five minutes ago! She is _not_ fine!" Leon hissed at her.

"She will be! Mia and Let are coming over with some cookie dough and some tequila. She'll be _fine_!"

He snorted derisively. "Alcohol and salmonella, that's really healthy," he said sarcastically.

"It's better than her being depressed!"

"She's going to be depressed no matter what! This isn't something she can just get over!"

Michaela rolled her eyes at him. "Would you just leave and let the girls handle it? Please!"

Leon sighed in defeat. "Fine," he answered, heading over to his car. "Just be careful with that shit."

Michaela waved him off. "Good_bye_ Leon!" she shouted, smirking when he shook his head in disapproval.

Leon drove straight to Michaela and Vince's house. Throwing open the door, he stalked in. "Vince!" he shouted, anger pumping through his veins. "Where the hell are you?"

Vince stumbled into the living room from the kitchen, leaning against the wall to keep himself from falling. "What do you want?" he slurred.

"Do you have any idea what you did to her?" Leon shouted, the volume of his voice making Vince wince.

"Fuck off, Leon. It's for the best," he muttered in response, rubbing at his temples.

He didn't notice Leon stalking towards him and it wasn't until he got a punch to the face that Vince realized how truly pissed Leon was. Instinctively, Vince swung back, catching Leon right in the jaw with his mean left hook.

And that was how Michaela found them; beating the crap out of each other on the floor of her house. "Stop it!" she screamed, grabbing at whoever's shirt was closest. Luckily it was Leon's and she managed to hull him off before any more damage could be done. "Are you crazy?" she asked Leon, sneaking glances at her brother.

Strangely enough, Vince wasn't at all riled up and ready to get back into it like he usually was. He was calmly sitting with his back against the wall, testing his fat lip with his finger. It was Leon who needed to be calmed down. "He made her cry!" Leon seethed in his defense. "I warned him about hurting her!"

"Fair enough," Michaela breathed, studying his bruised face. It seemed Vince hadn't gotten him too badly, though the skin around one eye was slowly starting to blacken. She gently brushed her thumb over the purpling skin on his jaw and he hissed in pain. "Did he get you in the ribs at all?"

Leon shrugged a shoulder. Yeah, Vince had gotten him once or twice in the ribs, but it wasn't anything he was worried about. "I'm fine."

She glanced at her brother who had a fat lip and a dark bruise on his cheek. He was absentmindedly rubbing at his side. Michaela wouldn't be surprised if Leon had cracked a rib. "How hard did you hit him?"

"As hard as I fucking could," Leon replied honestly.

Michaela pinched his arm as she glared up at him. "You're such an ass."

"Hey, if I did the same thing to you, you think he'd go easy on me?"

She nodded, he had a point. "Fine. Just go. Put some ice on the bruise and on your knuckles. Let me clean him up." She waited for him to close the door behind him before turning to Vince.

"He's got a nasty right hook," Vince said, his tongue darting out over his split lip.

"I can tell," she said on her way to the kitchen. She got some ice and wrapped it in a dish towel before heading back over to him. "He came out of it relatively unscathed," she stated, handing him the ice as she sat down next to him. "You went easy on him."

"Did not," he denied.

Michaela rolled her eyes. "Please, V. I've seen you fight before. You've got fists like cinderblocks and almost always shoot for the ribs. The fact that Lee can breathe without wincing shows that you clearly did not have your heart in that fight."

She was right. When Leon started throwing fists, he just hit him back half-heartedly more to defend himself than to inflict pain on Leon. He looked down at his hands, extending his fingers out to get a better look at his hand; his knuckles weren't even that badly bruised. "I deserved it," he muttered sadly.

* * *

Thoughts? Questions? Comments?

Send me a review!

~Love Ink


	9. Missing You

Thanks to my amazing reviewers: **Rmeyer90**, **Sassy Ava**, **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **lover of many things804**, and **sweetist of sin**. All your reviews make my long, hard school day so much better! :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter...I'm slowing things down a little bit ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 9: Missing You_

**By: LoveInk**

As the days passed by, Michaela watched her brother fold in on himself. Gone were his smiles and his teasing attitude. Suddenly surly Vince took his place, all scowls and grunts. It was rare she could get more than a three word response from him. He didn't eat, well at least not as much as he used to, and when they went to the races, he'd stand there, arms folded over his chest, a scowl on his face. No one dared to go near him, not even the skanks.

She had an idea, something to lighten his mood. With a small smile she skipped into Dominic's office. "Hey Baldy," she said sitting in the chair adjacent from him.

"Mickey," he replied, not bothering to look up from whatever paper work he was studying. "What do you need?"

"I think a beach day is in order," she stated simply.

This caught his attention; he looked up at her, an eyebrow raised. "Really?" he said his voice flat.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. We've all been so caught up in work and the heists and shit, we need a day to unwind."

"There's a lot of work to be done here, Mickey. We can't just blow it off and go to the beach," Dom answered, going back to his papers.

"Oh c'mon, Dom! Everyone is stressed to the max! Jesse smokes a pack and a half a day, Letty's always pissed, Lee comes home with huge knots in his back, and Vince won't talk to anyone! They _need_ a break, this place is suffocating!"

Dom sighed. She was right. The whole team was on edge, ready to snap at any given moment. "All right. Go ahead and round them up. I'll call Mia and tell her to close early."

"Yes!" Michaela exclaimed triumphantly. "Thank you Dom!" She left the office, slamming the door behind her. "I have an announcement!" she shouted loud enough so everyone in the garage could hear.

One by one the team member stopped what they were doing, save for Vince who remained under his car. When she was sure all eyes were on her, she grinned. "Drop what you're doing; we're going to the beach!"

The hoots and hollers that were heard in response were deafening. Leon ran to her, sweeping her up in his arms and spinning her around. The only person not excited was Vince. He stayed under his car, no doubt listening to music as loud as humanly possible to drown out everything and everyone.

Michaela walked over to the car, hooking her foot under the creeper and using all her strength to pull him out from under it. He glowered up at her, pulling an earphone bud out of one of his ears. "What?" he growled.

"We're going to the beach," she stated, gritting her teeth to keep from getting angry at him.

"Good for you," he retorted, starting to slide back under but she stopped him.

"You're coming too."

He shook his head at her. "No thanks."

"It's not negotiable," she said stubbornly before sighing. "Please? Just for a little, you don't have to stay long. Just come and relax. That's it. For me."

"Why?"

Michaela shrugged. "I just want you there, bro. Please?"

Vince groaned as he got up from out the car. "Fine, but I'm driving."

Instead of riding with Leon, Michaela chose to ride with her brother, knowing if she didn't, he might not show up. She knew he wasn't going to stay long, but it was nice to just be with him. The car was awkwardly quiet as Vince drove to the beach. She let out a frustrated sigh. In the past, car rides with her brother had been filled with laughter, talking, and music. Now it was just silent. "Okay, chatty Kathy," she said trying to make it less awkward. "Let's put on some tunes." She leant forward and flicked on the radio, tuning it to a mellow oldies station.

The first notes of 'Tiny Dancer' came on and Michaela watched as Vince winced, his jaw clenching tightly as though the song caused him physical pain. "This was Mom's favorite song, wasn't it?" Michaela asked, wondering if that was the reason for his strong reaction.

"One of them." His knuckles turned white as he gripped the wheel tighter. "Just turn it off," he mumbled, leaning forward to click it off.

"No," Michaela said, swatting his hand away. "I like it, it reminds me of Mom."

She saw him shake his head, but he didn't go into it. As the song went on, she watched as his shoulders slumped sadly. What was going on with him? She'd heard him listen to this song a million times before with Alex. _Oh, that's why_, she thought grimacing as the reason came to light. A memory flashed through her mind. One morning, a just few weeks earlier, she'd wandered down the stairs to find Alex pirouetting around the kitchen as she fixed a bowl of cereal for Vince. He was chuckling as he watched her, his blue eyes glittering with happiness. "C'mere, tiny dancer," he'd murmured just before pulling her in for a kiss.

She reached forward and shut it off feeling mean for putting him through such torture. "Tiny didn't just refer to her height, did it?"

He cleared his throat and shook his head. She could hear the pain in his voice when he uttered his one syllable response, "No."

She slid down in her seat, feeling about three feet tall. From her new angle, she could see a set of footprints on his windshield. Michaela raised an eyebrow; Vince wasn't the cleanest of guys, but his car was usually pristine. "You have footprints on your windshield," she pointed out.

Vince glanced at them briefly before nodding. "I know."

"Whose are they?"

"Hers," he answered quietly. He couldn't count how many times Alex had kicked her bare feet up onto the dash after one of their trips to the beach. He'd always wipe them off the footprints the next day and tease her about her dirty feet, but he never told her to stop. He loved seeing her tanned legs stretched out, a light coat of sand covering the smooth tan skin. They'd get something good to go and sit and eat, talking for hours while the sun set all from the safety and of his car. He couldn't bring himself to wipe them off this time. It was one of the few traces of her he had left in his life.

Michaela winced, strike two. Her gaze fell to the floor. She wasn't surprised when she found sand in between the grooves of the mat, yet another trace of Alex. "You miss her, don't you?"

He shrugged. "She's just a girl, Mickey," he answered, his voice flat.

"You keep saying that. _She's just a girl_. What does that even mean?"

He sighed. "It means that there are plenty of more fish in the sea."

She studied his face before shaking her head at him. "You don't believe that."

Vince shrugged again, his foot pressing down on the accelerator. It was a sign that Michaela had struck a nerve. The velocity he was going at would be enough to make anyone feel uneasy, but Vince was comfortable with it. Strangely enough, it made him feel safe because it was something he could control. One of the only things he could control.

"She's not going to wait for you forever," Michaela stated. "I mean, she will wait because she loves you, but Eddie is chomping at the bit to get back in her pants."

"Stay out of it," he ground out through clenched teeth as he tried his best to be patient with his sister.

She didn't heed his warning, instead, she kept pushing. "Vince, if you can't see that you're in love with her…"

"I said leave it, Michaela!" he yelled, his loud voice ricocheting off the walls of his car.

Michaela looked at him in shock. He hadn't yelled at her like that since she'd been in high school. "She misses you too, you know," she said softly. "She won't admit it, but I can tell."

Her words made him feel better, though he didn't show it. He grunted in response and shrugged a shoulder. "She'll get over it and move on," he said miserably as he pulled into the parking lot.

"I doubt that. Just think about it, V. She'll take you back," she advised as she got out of the car. She approached Leon slowly, a sad smile on her face.

The rest of the team including Vince were already on their way to the beach leaving just Leon and Michaela behind. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss into her temple. "Why the sad face, baby?"

She looked towards where her brother was making his way to the beach, slower than the rest of them as though avoiding all contact. "He's hurting, Lee," she said, her voice soft and sad. "I don't know how to fix it."

"There's nothing you can do about it, Princess," he answered with a scowl. He was not Vince's biggest fan at the moment. "He did that to himself."

Vince grabbed a six pack of Coronas for himself and wandered closer to the water. He found a place atop a sand dune and sat down, setting the beers beside him. He didn't want to play ball with the boys or tan and chat with the girls; he wanted to be alone. His eyes searched the waves studying the surfers one by one searching for her. It was her favorite kind of day. Clear skies, nice surf, good weather. She should be there.

And she was. She was sitting by herself, too far out to catch any of the big waves or get in the way of other surfers. She was just floating, contemplating the horizon it seemed like. Her dark hair was down, a clear sign she wasn't serious about surfing that day; she was just there to think.

Opening the first beer, Vince decided to play a drinking game by himself. A sip if she caught a wave, a sip if she fell, a sip if she missed a wave…the game quickly progressed into something deeper, something more painful. A sip every time he thought of her smile, a sip when he thought of her hair, her laugh, the way she looked lying next to him, the way she felt in his arms. Two hours went by and four empty bottles sat next to him. He finished off his fifth bottle just as Alex caught a wave into the shore. Vince studied her as she hit the sand, noting the slight slump in her shoulders as she walked. Gone was her happy gait, the swing of her hips, her easy smile.

Alex knew he was there. She could see his scruffy face from miles away. She stayed out longer than she wanted to in hopes that he would disappear. He hadn't, and she was running late for her lunch with Fisher and Ronnie. She picked up her surfboard and headed in his direction, determined to walk right by him without paying him any attention.

When she got near him, however, he nodded to her. "Hey," he called out to her his voice rough.

Though she desperately wanted to ignore him, she found herself responding on auto-pilot. "Hi," she replied slowly.

"Saw you surfin' out there," he commented, slurring his words a little. "You look good."

She let out a long breath while raking a hand through her wet hair. Her eyes fell on the empty bottles next to him. "Are you drunk?"

His eyes followed the path a stray drop of water made down her neck, over her clavicle, and into the valley of her chest. "No."

She doubted that. "What are you doing here, Vince?" she asked suspiciously.

He shrugged in response. "Nothin'."

"You shouldn't be here like this. It's not safe."

Vince shrugged a shoulder again. "Sorry, I didn't know you owned the beach," he mumbled, getting up off the ground. He swayed a little on the spot but caught himself before he could fall. His eyes left her face for a second and focused on someone behind her. "_Him_? You're here with _him_?"

Alex turned to find Carter heading past them to his car. They'd met there, but only because she didn't like surfing alone. There was nothing between them. In fact, Carter was happily engaged. Even if he was an option, _she _was in no state to start seeing other people. "We're just surfing, Vince."

"Like hell you are," he muttered back.

He took a few steps in Carter's direction and Alex put a hand to his chest to stop him. She was glad Carter was already halfway to the parking lot and hadn't noticed their conversation, otherwise there was a possibility a fight would break out. "Stop that!" she shouted up at him angrily. "Even if there was something going on, you have no right be angry! _You_ let _me_ go!"

"I didn't think you'd run straight to _him_," Vince growled, getting in her face.

For the first time ever, Alex felt afraid of him. His size had never intimidated her before, but when he was looming over her with that angry, drunk look in his eyes; it was hard not to be a little frightened. She took a step back and swallowed hard. "Look, I just came here to surf, Vince. I didn't want to do it alone."

Leon was out of his chair as soon as he saw Vince take another step toward her. He ran towards them, stepping in between them nonchalantly. "Lex! How's it going?" he asked, hugging her gently. When he pulled away, he saw the fear in her eyes and his heart dropped. Vince was royally screwing up whatever chance he had at winning her back.

"Hey Lee," she said giving him a squeeze to let him know she was okay.

"V, Dom wants you," Leon lied, nodding his head to the team's spot.

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "Who gives a fuck what he wants?" he spat with a sneer.

Alex's eyes widened in shock; since when had Vince not listened to Dom? Leon looked just as surprised. "Would you just go?" he asked him, sending a glare his way.

"Fuck, Lee. 'M not gonna hurt her," Vince defended, scowling. "Do you think I'm gonna hurt you?" he asked, his eyes softening slightly as he looked at Alex.

She hardened herself against his beautiful blue eyes as she shook her head. "No," she answered. Leon glanced at Alex, studying her face. He knew she wasn't afraid of Vince that the fear had passed, but her eyes still had that wounded look to them. It was clear she wanted to get away from him, far away. She cleared her throat, fidgeting with the surfboard under her arm. "I'm gonna go. I told Fish I'd have lunch with him. See you around, Vince," she murmured, pushing past him, making sure to hit him with the back of her surfboard.

Vince turned to watch her leave, rubbing idly at the spot where the fins of her surfboard had grazed his leg. Muttering a curse word, he sat back down and opened his last beer. Leon shook his head at his friend before chasing after Alex. He caught up to her easily enough. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"I'm fine," she answered softly. She swiped a tear from her cheek and shrugged a shoulder. "I can't avoid him forever, right?"

Leon nodded, taking the surfboard from her and carrying it up to the parking lot. "What'd he say to you? Cause if he said something stupid, I'll kick his ass."

"No, he just commented on my surfing. He's trashed, Lee. I've never seen him so…drunk. Has he been doing that a lot?"

"That's _all_ he's been doing lately, Lex," he admitted with a frown. "If we're lucky, he'll show up to work or to dinner, but he mostly just drinks and scowls."

Alex's brows furrowed in concern. "That's not healthy. Please tell me he doesn't drive like that!"

Leon shrugged a shoulder. "I won't tell you then."

"Leon!" she gasped, her eyes wide. "Why do you guys let him do that? He's going to kill himself one day!"

"No one can tell him no, Lex. Not without getting a punch to the face."

"What about the girls? He wouldn't hit them."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Mia's not speaking to him, Letty's given up trying, and Michaela…she just doesn't know what to do. He won't listen to them, Lex. It doesn't matter any way; he's not your problem anymore."

Alex scowled at him as they approached a truck that was painted a garish orange color. "I know, I just…I can't stop caring, Lee. I can't just turn it off like that."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," he said on a sigh. He'd had a similar experience when Michaela had broken up with him a few years before. "You just gotta…forget. It won't be easy, but it's something you need to do."

She nodded slowly, taking her surfboard from him and sliding it into the trunk bed. She hopped up into the bed, strapped it down, and jumped back down gracefully. "I told Fish I'd go on tour with him."

"On Eddie's tour?"

Alex nodded. "They're going on their first world tour and one of their stunt dancers broke her wrist. I was going to take her place for awhile."

His face fell slightly. Truth be told, he was going to miss her; she was the best listener of the bunch. "How long will you be gone for?" he asked.

"A few weeks. Maybe months, I'm not sure yet."

"You're not going to get back with Eddie are you?"

Alex let out a light laugh and shook her head. "No. I just…I need to get away, you know? I need to go somewhere where everything I see doesn't remind me of him."

Leon nodded his head up and down for lack of a better thing to say. "Where'd this truck come from?" he questioned, changing the subject.

"It's my friend Ron's," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "The Jeep's been acting funky for a while. We took it off-roading and it just hasn't been the same. Ron says it's the suspension, but he didn't want to mess with it."

"Why didn't you just bring it by the shop? We _do_ fix cars, you know. We're not just fuckin' around all day long," he asked, an eyebrow raised.

Her mouth formed a small 'o', a clear sign she hadn't thought about it. "I guess I could. I don't want to bother you…"

"Lex, just bring it by. I'll take a look at it. This car is awful."

"Says the man with a banana yellow car," she teased with a roll of her eyes.

He ruffled her hair gently before pulling her into a hug. "I'll see you later, Short stuff. Be good."

She gave him a tight squeeze before pulling away. "I will," she answered, a small smile on her face. The smile faded a bit as she glanced back toward the beach. "Take care of him, Lee. For me?"

Leon sighed. Michaela hadn't even asked that of him, she was too busy trying to fix it herself. He thought he'd gotten out of helping, but if Alex wanted him to look out for Vince, he'd try. He nodded. "Yeah, I'll try, but only because you asked me to."

* * *

Like it? Love it? Gotta have it? (haha Coldstone's reference, anyone?) ;)

Let me know in a review!

~LoveInk


	10. Changes

Just thought I'd upload a new chapter. I am having THE crappiest day and your guys' reviews always make me happy. :) So please read, enjoy, review if you want!

Thanks to **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx** and **Violet201 **for your awesome reviews! You guys rock! :)

This chapter is super short and sort of a filler! Sorry! .

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 10: Changes _

**By: LoveInk**

The next morning, Vince walked into the garage to find a familiar Jeep sitting there. It was completely covered in mud. Hearts, smiley faces, and initials were drawn into the mud as was custom when she went off-roading with her friends. He could hear Leon and Jesse arguing in front of it. "Let me just tune it a little, she'll never know," Jesse said, eyeing the closed hood.

"Jess, she doesn't want it tuned," Leon defended with a roll of his eyes. He didn't want to pop the hood until Jesse agreed he wouldn't mess with it. "Just let me fix it the normal way."

Jesse shook his head slowly. "So much potential wasted!"

"What's wrong with it?" Vince asked, dragging his finger over the door, leaving his own trail in the mud.

Leon shrugged. "We don't know yet. Lex said it's been acting weird so she dropped it off."

"Take good care of it," he muttered, patting the bonnet affectionately.

He nodded before popping the hood. Jesse peered over his shoulder and snickered. "I thought we weren't supposed to tune it," he drawled sarcastically. His blue eyes found several parts of the Jeep's engine that definitely weren't standard.

Leon glanced briefly at Vince. "You mess with it?"

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "It's an old car. I just wanted her to be safe."

"When did you have time to do all this?" he asked, looking over the different mods in the engine.

"Whenever she'd let me. We did a lot of it together, actually," he answered, a small smile turning up the corners of his lips as memories flooded through his head.

"Yeah, Alex work on cars, that's a joke," Jesse snorted. He loved Alex, but the girl was clueless when it came to cars, and she admitted it too. It wasn't like she ever tried to learn either, no matter how many times they'd tried to teach her, she'd always roll her eyes and change the subject.

Vince shrugged again. "She loves that Jeep. I think she'd do anything to make it better," he explained before he headed back to the car he'd been working on earlier.

Jesse scoffed. "Loves the car or loves _him_?" he wondered aloud.

"My thoughts exactly," Leon replied on a gruff laugh.

Around lunchtime, all the boys and Letty headed to the store to grab some lunch. Vince hung back, choosing to stay and finish his work so he could leave early. He wasn't in the mood to go to the store and listen to the rest of the team talk; he just wanted to be alone.

He approached the lime green Jeep slowly, stepping up into the passenger's seat. It was still pushed back all the way like he'd left it, the back of the seat slightly tilted back in what Alex's jokingly called a "gangsta lean." He looked over at the driver's seat and fought a grin; the seat was pulled up as far as it could go so that her short legs could reach the pedals. He'd always teased her about it, every time they got into that car. Once he'd gone as far as to give her a phone book to sit on. She'd thrown her head back and laughed at that one and even gone as far as testing it out. He loved that he could tease her like that without worrying about her getting angry or offended.

Out of curiosity, he opened the glove compartment. A creased photo fell out and he picked it up, unfolding it and smoothing it out gently. It was of them sitting on the beach, taken from behind; obviously one of the girls had taken it when they hadn't been paying attention. He had one arm around her waist. Her chin was resting on his shoulder, a serene smile on her face as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. The sun was setting behind them. It was beautiful, she was beautiful. He missed her more than he cared to admit.

At the sound of the team's engines, he folded the picture up and shoved it in his pocket. He got out of the car quickly and headed back toward the one he was working on, making sure to get underneath it before the team saw him. Once under the chassis of the car, he pulled out the picture again and just stared at it. As he traced his grimy fingers over her pretty face, a feeling of regret and anger filled him. He regretted listening to Dominic, regretted letting the one good thing in his life go. He was angry at Dominic for making him do it, for putting the idea in his head that she was untrustworthy, for using him, and for making him feel like an asshole. Most of all, he was mad at himself; he knew he shouldn't have listened to Dominic, that he should've told the bald man to go to hell, but instead he'd agreed. He had done exactly what Dominic asked him to because for a second, it sounded like the right thing. But it wasn't. He knew that now.

* * *

A few weeks later…

Vince took the anger he felt towards himself and began channeling it towards other people. He was angry at Dom, he was angry at Michaela, he was angry at Mia, and right now, he was angry at the stupid blonde punk sitting at the counter of Toretto's looking like he owned the damn place. He wanted to punch the guy's face in…so that's exactly what he did.

He wasn't surprised when Dom was pissed with him because of it. The blonde punk had been a regular customer for a few weeks, and Dom didn't like people beating up paying customers; especially since they were so rare. Fighting with the punk _did_ help calm him down though, and by the races, he was his normal, albeit grumpier, self.

And then of course, who showed? The punk, or _Brian Earl Spilner_, according to the serial killer name they found on his license. And of course he made some dumb comment about 'boxing' that pissed Vince off more, but he didn't react. He just sat there on the hood of his car, cool as a cucumber, happy with the knowledge that the punk was about to have his ass handed to him by Dominic.

As Vince predicted, Brian lost miserably to Dominic. The cops were called and the team left, running away like mice, back to the fort. He grabbed a beer and his guitar and sat in the corner playing to whatever girl bothered to approach him. He realized Dom was missing, but didn't really care; he was still angry at him for past events. So when Dom came in butt-hurt and yelling, it didn't faze him much; though the punk hanging in the background did. Vince would have beaten him up if Mia hadn't intervened.

He couldn't stay. Not while Brian was there flirting with Mia like he'd been there forever. And Dom just didn't care. Vince had the feeling Dom was going to let the punk into their lives without a second thought. Not like Alex. He hadn't even given her a chance.

Alex. He grabbed another beer as her sad green eyes flashed through his head. Why didn't he trust her enough to keep her? Why did he let Dom get in his head? She'd never given him reason not to trust her. Not once. So why'd he let her go? Why did he doubt her? Shaking his head, he sighed. He knew the reason why. She was way out of his league, yet she still stayed with him. Why would she do that? She could have picked someone so much better, but yet she settled for him. That was shady as hell. But maybe she stayed with him because she saw through all his bull shit. Maybe for the first time, he'd found someone who saw _him_. Not the big bad, stupid, muscle of the team. She broke through those walls and saw him.

And he let her go as though she meant nothing. He shook his head as he polished off his third beer. Standing, he pulled the keys out of the pocket and headed to the door. He needed to make things right.

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You like? I kind of glossed over the parts from the movie...I feel like all you readers have seen the movie enough to know what happens... ;)

Tell me what you think! Your reviews are well loved! :)

~LoveInk


	11. Need You Now

This is probably one of my favorite chapter in this story. I don't know why, I just really love it. :)

Many thanks to: **Sassy Ava **(sorry I didn't thank you in the last one! I got your review seconds after I uploaded it!), **sweetist of sin**, **Violet201**, and **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**

This chapter is named after the AMAZING song "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. I didn't listen to the song while writing it, but it captures the feeling of this chapter pretty well.

As always, your reviews are much appreciated! :D I'm studying for two HUGE midterms so any distraction is welcome! :)

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 11: Need You Now_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince approached her house knowing he shouldn't be there. It was late and he was drunk, but he needed to see her. Needed some type of assurance that she was still there. He wanted her to tell him everything was going to be all right, even though he knew it wasn't.

Alex looked at the half-filled suitcase of her bed, wrinkling her nose in distaste. She did _not_ want to go on tour especially since Eddie was there. He was a complete pain in the ass. Every day since they'd broken up he'd call to "see how she was doing" and then beg her to take him back. Their CD sales had dropped drastically after they broke up and word got out that he was a cheater. He figured if they got back together, things would change. "Stupid," she murmured to herself. Why couldn't she just find a normal guy?

Opening her closet, she picked up the old blue jersey that lay stuffed in the corner. It was Vince's; he'd given it to her just last month. Had it really been that long? Sighing, she picked it up and buried her nose in the soft fabric. His smell was still there, but it was fading. Sniffing she threw it into the suitcase. She was close to letting him go like she wanted, but not close enough to throw that away. Bringing it on tour would be like bringing a small piece of her life in LA with her.

The sound of the doorbell made her jump. She checked the clock. It was almost two in the morning. Fisher was gone for the night and Ronnie was picking them up in the afternoon tomorrow so they could all head out to the airport together. There was no one else she could think of that would be at her door so late. Standing on her toes, she tried to see through the peep hole. A small gasp left her lips. "Go away Vince!" she shouted through the closed door.

"Tiny, c'mon!" she heard him yell through the door as he pounded his fist against it. "Talk to me!"

"No! Leave!" she shouted as she pressed herself against the wall, her mind racing. What was he _doing_ there? Hadn't he left her? He kept knocking on the door, pleading with her to open it. She heard one last, loud bang followed by a roar of pain. Without thinking, she ripped open the door to see if he was okay. He was holding his fist to his mouth in an attempt to staunch the bleeding of his split knuckles. "What did you _do_?"

"Punched the wall," he muttered.

Alex glared at him and then back down at his bleeding hand. She breathed in a long breath through her nose, trying to keep calm. "Let me see that," she said grabbing his injured hand. Two of his knuckles were split. She sighed heavily. "I'll wrap it up but then you're going home. Did you drive here?"

"Yeah." He staggered forward as she pulled him into the house and towards the bathroom.

"Drunk?"

"Yeah."

"Are you stupid?" she questioned angrily. "You could've killed yourself driving in the state you're in!"

Vince shrugged, sitting down on the toilet while he watched her look for her first aid kit. "I needed to see you."

She paused briefly, shaking her head to erase what he'd said. If she let it sink in, she was bound to get hurt in the long run. She pulled out the first aid kit and set it on the counter, opening it up and rifling through it.

He watched her small hands as they sorted clumsily through the box. Her lips were moving quickly as she swore to herself in Portuguese. "I missed you," he said interrupted her stream of curse words. She ignored him and began wiping at his knuckles with alcohol. She could feel his eyes on her face, expecting an answer, but she kept quiet. She was determined to get this over with as quickly as possible. "A lot. I was so stupid. I shouldn't have…"

"Stop talking," Alex ordered, cutting him off. She couldn't bear to let him finish that sentence.

Vince caught her eyes briefly. He'd never seen them so worried and sad. All he wanted to do was hug her and tell her he was all right. "I'm sorry."

She had to look away. His pained eyes were too hard to take. Sucking in a breath, she strengthened her resolve; no, she was not going to let it bother her this time. This chapter in her life was over. This time tomorrow, she'd be in Paris with her best friends. Away from him and all this heartbreak.

As she wrapped his injured hand with gauze, his other hand gently grasped her thigh just underneath the hem of her jean shorts, pulling her from her thoughts. The familiar fire that always came with his touch ignited in her veins as his thumb gently grazed across the skin there. She smacked his hand away, but he put it right back, looking up at her with innocent eyes.

Just his simple touch drove her crazy. Her heart was beating much too fast and those damned butterflies were fluttering around her stomach. Swallowing hard, she taped the gauze down before stepping as far away from him as possible. "Done!" she exclaimed, holding her hands up in the air. "You ready to go?"

He nodded, standing and taking a few steps towards her so they were only inches apart. "Thank you," he murmured, dipping his head to place a soft kiss to her temple.

She closed her eyes at the feel of his scratchy beard against her skin; oh, how she'd missed that feeling. It took all her self-control to keep her arms from wrapping around his neck and pull him in for a kiss. "You're welcome," she breathed. "Just don't make this punching walls thing a habit, okay?"

"Okay."

"Let's get you home then," she said as she began the trek towards the driveway.

Once there, she headed to her Jeep, but Vince stopped at his car, his keys in hand. "I'm not leaving my car," he stated.

"Well, you're certainly not_ driving_ it," she shot back at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You drive then," he said, tossing her the keys.

She glared at him as she caught them, watching him as he set his shoulders stubbornly. She knew there was no way he was going to back down. "Fine_," _she hissed. "But I'm driving it back home tonight and you'll have to pick it up tomorrow."

"Fair enough, Tiny."

Alex unlocked the doors and slipped into his seat. Her feet were nowhere close to reaching the pedals. Vince let out a chuckle at the annoyed look on her face. She glared at him before she began messing with the different levers to find a comfortable position. She made sure to move every single setting possible knowing it would take forever for Vince to get it back the way he liked it.

Once she was comfortable, she pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Vince's house. Vince couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He loved to watch her drive. She was always so careful about everything, her green eyes flitting between the mirrors. When she drove, her full concentration was always on the road.

His mind drifted back to the time he taught her how to drive his car. He'd been shocked when she confessed she didn't know how to drive a stick so he decided to take her into a parking lot and teach her how. Alex had protested the whole way saying that she didn't want to wreck the car, but he'd insisted. She _was_ terrible. After stalling the car a few times, she'd been so focused on getting the gears right that she accidentally scraped the side of the front bumper against a lamppost. Her dark green eyes had gone wide as she muttered a curse word, her face completely red. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she repeated over and over. "I _told_ you I was no good at this!" He'd just laughed. It was too hard to be mad at her when she looked so cute. It was an easy fix anyway since he worked at the garage.

"You going to crash my car again?" he teased her now.

"Don't tempt me," she answered on a laugh, her foot pressing down harder on the accelerator. She wanted to get him home as quickly as possible and go back to packing before she lost what little self-control she had.

As soon as they got to the house, Alex saw why Vince had gotten away from the team so easily; a huge party was going on at the fort. His house, however, was completely dark. "Mickey isn't home?" she asked, her palms already sweating nervously; she'd hoped his sister would help handle him so she could leave.

"Nope," he muttered. "She's with Leon. _He_ got to keep _her_."

The comment caught her off guard. What did _that_ mean? Shaking it off as a meaningless drunken comment, she got out of the car and went to help him get out. "Let's go, drunkie."

"I'm fine, Tiny. Don't worry," he said slipping out of the car easily enough since he was slightly sober now. He trudged toward the front door but couldn't get the key into the lock.

Alex sighed and grabbed it from him before unlocking the door and opening it. She shoved him inside following quickly after. She could've left then. He would've been all right getting to sleep on his own, but something told her to stay. With a sigh, she went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water before grabbing some aspirin for him. When she walked back into his bedroom, he was lying on his bed shirtless, his eyes closed.

Her eyes fell on his bare torso and a gasp left her lips. His stomach was covered in bruises. Some were old and fading while others were still dark purple. She set the water glass and pills on the table before stepping closer to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

Reaching out a hand, she gently trailed her fingers over the bruises. They were real all right, and apparently painful. Vince winced as he caught her hand in his. "It's nothing," he told her, catching her hand and holding it in his own. The bruises were remnant from where the truckers had hit him, from where he landed on the trucks, and some were from Brian's fist.

He sat up then, putting his face dangerously close to hers. "Liar," she replied softly. She sat down on the bed, her dark eyes filled with concern as they studied his face. Almost instinctively, she gently laid her other hand on his cheek, tracing her thumb along the skin just under his eye. "What is going on with you?"

Vince leaned his face into her hand, enjoying her touch while it lasted. He considered telling her the truth about the heists and about Dom's stupid plan. He thought about telling her how he felt, how she made him feel, but he decided against it. Shaking his head, he said, "I can't tell you, Alex."

All the anger Alex had been feeling that night came back with a vengeance. "That's bullshit!" she seethed, pulling her hand away from his grasp. Frustration bubbled up inside of her; why did he have to come back? Why that night? She was so close to escaping him. "You came to _me_, Vince! Why? Why did you come over?" she demanded, standing up from the bed.

He winced at the loud volume of her voice. "I just needed to see you again," he answered honestly.

"What does that _mean_, Vincent?" she asked, her eyes pleading for an answer. He was bringing back all the feelings she had managed to bury away deep down inside her. He merely shrugged his shoulder in response. "You don't know?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No."

She could feel the tears starting to form behind her eyes, but held them back. No. She was not going to cry in front of him. Not again. "Cool," she said bobbing her head up and down. "You saw me. Happy now?"

"Alex…"

"I've got to go," she said curtly. She didn't want to hear more of his bullshit stories or excuses. No, this time _she_ was going to leave _him_.

Alex made it halfway to the door before he caught her wrist in his hand. Wordlessly, he spun her around, wrapping one arm around her waist while cupping the side of her face with his other hand and pressing a hot kiss to her lips. "I need you," he whispered, his face just centimeters from hers.

She knew it was wrong and stupid and bound to hurt her in the long run, but she couldn't help it. She needed him too. Standing on her tip toes, she caught his lips in another kiss. His hand buried itself into her hair as hers gently slid up and over the muscles of his back. Crouching down, he caught the back of her knees, lifting her up off the ground so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He walked her over to the bed, gently laying her down without breaking their kiss. He pulled away, burying his face into her neck, nuzzling the skin there while inhaling her sweet scent. "I missed you, Tiny."

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Thoughts? Reactions? Questions?

Let me know in a review! :)

~LoveInk


	12. A Big Mistake

Thanks to: **Krue3ger **(I'm glad you left a comment! :) I'm working on Between Inked Lines, but its not going very well...hopefully I'll find some inspiration and get it started again), **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **Sassy Ava**, and **Violet201.**

You guys are awesome! Your reviews make my day! :D I hope I don't let you down with this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 12: A Big Mistake_

**By: LoveInk**

The next morning, Alex woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. Opening one eye, she found herself to be in Vince's bed, her head pillowed on his bare chest. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, his long fingers curled around her hip. She sat up slowly feeling slightly sore from the events of the night before. Groaning, she got out of bed, pulling on whatever she could find and grabbing her still ringing cell phone off the ground. "Hello?" she asked grumpily.

"Alex?" Michaela's voice sounded surprised. "Why are you answering Vince's phone?"

She cursed under her breath as she looked at the small Nokia in her hand. Of course it was Vince's phone! She'd forgotten hers at her house in her haste to leave the night before! "Because…" she began slowly. She tried to think of a lie that could convince Mickey, but decided against it; she was a terrible liar and Michaela would catch her right away. Running her hands through her hair, she sighed, "Because I just made a big mistake."

Michaela let out a long sigh. "Oh Alex. I'll be right over."

Moments later, Michaela threw open the front door to find Alex sitting at the couch watching TV dressed in one of Vince's sweatshirts and a pair of jean shorts. Her legs were pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees. "You fucked my brother, didn't you?" she asked taking a seat next to her.

Alex felt miserable. Not only had she betrayed herself by allowing him to use her, she'd also dug up all the old feelings she'd managed to push aside in the month they hadn't been together. "Yep."

"How on _earth_ did my brother convince you to sleep with him?"

She let out a light laugh in response, shaking her head in disbelief. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she thought of how stupid the whole situation was. "I don't know," she said, using the sleeve of her sweatshirt to wipe at her eyes. "He came over to my house, drunk, and punched a fist into the wall; I patched him up, and then drove his car back here. One thing led to another and…"

"Spare me the details please," Michaela interrupted, a look of disgust on her face. "What'd he say?"

Alex shrugged. "He said a lot of bullshit, and I fell for it."

"Like what?"

"He told me he missed me and needed me. Stuff that doesn't mean anything."

Michaela smiled, how could Alex not see that those statements were both true? "Lex, he meant it. Life has been hell for us since you've been apart. When he's not elbows deep in an engine, he's drowning himself in Coronas. He _needs_ you."

If Alex agreed with her statement or even heard it, she didn't acknowledge it. Instead, she changed the subject. "Have you seen the bruises on your brother's stomach, Micks? They look bad."

"I know," she answered softly, her tone sad for once. She'd heard Vince complaining about them for a few weeks now, but he refused to go to the doctor to get them checked out. "He's fine, though. He's a tough cookie."

"What are they from?"

Michaela bit her lip. Maybe if _she_ told Alex, Dom wouldn't get mad at Vince. Maybe then, Vince could have a second chance with her. But what if Alex ran to her FBI brother? She knew that was the definitive reason her brother decided to break it off with her, and though Michaela trusted Alex with most things, she didn't want to put her family in danger either. "I don't know."

"That's a lie!" Alex accused, shaking her head sadly. How could these people not trust her? Had she done something wrong? "What is it you guys are keeping from me?"

"I can't tell you," Michaela replied with a grimace. Alex threw her arms up in the air in defeat before heading for the door. "Lex, stop. You have to understand."

Anger surged through Alex; she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Understand what?" she yelled, her hands balled into angry fists at her side. "I have been _trying_ to break through those thick walls he has, and just when I think I've done it, he breaks up with me! For a reason that he can't even put into _words_, Michaela! And you expect me to _understand_? I'm sorry, but I don't! I can't!"

"I know it's hard and I'm sorry about it, but it's not my place to tell you. This is something between you and him. Not us."

"You're right. Sorry," she said, sounding tired and defeated. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "It doesn't matter anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Leaving?" Michaela repeated, her eyebrows raised.

"I took the spot on Eddie's tour, remember? I'm leaving tomorrow."

With everything that was going on with her family, Michaela had completely forgotten that her partner at the dance studio was taking a month long vacation to fill in for someone on the tour. She'd gotten a substitute, of course, but Mickey was worried about the _reason_ Alex was leaving. "You can't just run away from your problems, Lex," she stated calmly.

"You're right, I can't. But right now, I don't know what my problems _are_," Alex replied with a shrug. There was nothing better to say. She _was _taking the coward's way out, but she saw no better solution. She had to get away.

Michaela nodded. "Did you tell him?"

"No, but he'll find out eventually," she answered softly. "I'm driving his car back home. Tell him I'll leave the key in my mailbox for him. I really don't want to see him again, not before I leave."

"Fair enough. I'll let him know."

Alex gave her a sad smile. "Thanks. See you in a month then?"

"Yeah," Michaela said as she pulled her into a hug. "Be safe, girly. Stay away from Eddie."

She laughed briefly and nodded. "Bye."

Michaela watched her get into Vince's Maxima and leave from the front porch before heading back inside. She took a seat on the couch and let her head fall into her hands. She felt awful. This wasn't how things were supposed to work out. Her brother was supposed to stay with Alex and live happily ever after. And in a perfect world, it might have worked out that way. But not in this world. Not with the stupid truck heists hanging over there head like a storm cloud. "What an idiot," she mumbled under her breath.

"Who?" Leon asked, catching her comment just as he entered the house. He could see the tension in her shoulders, so he put his hands on them and began giving her a massage.

"My brother," she answered, relaxing a little under Leon's touch. "Alex just left."

It took a few seconds for him to put two and two together, but he got it eventually. His grip on her shoulders tightened a little, a clear sign he was angry. "You gotta be kidding me," he said, his voice frustrated.

Michaela shook her head, rubbing a hand over her face. "Vince went over to her place last night. He told her he needed her and the he missed her and since she feels the same way they...hooked up," she explained, trying to put it in less graphic terms. "She saw the bruises and freaked, but he didn't tell her and _I _couldn't tell her," she let out a frustrated groan. "She's leaving tomorrow."

"Does Vince know?"

"I doubt it," Michaela answered on a scoff. "You think he'd still be sleeping if he did?"

Vince walked across the street to the fort and sat down at the kitchen table with his head pounding. The events of the night before were still fresh in his memory despite his drunken haze. She was gone when he woke up and it didn't sit well with him. It reminded him too much of the days before her when girls would just come in and slip out, but this time, he wasn't grateful for her disappearance; it didn't make it any easier for him the next morning. In fact, he would've rather had her stay so they could talk like they used to. Sighing, he let his head fall onto his crossed arms that were resting on the table.

"Rough night?" Letty asked on a chuckle. The rest of the team was still at work, but it was her day off. A half eaten sandwich sat in front of her and she pushed the remaining half toward him.

He sat up, shaking his head as he pushed the sandwich back. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise at his refusal of food; she still couldn't get used to that. He'd always been the human trash disposal, but lately it was rare he was even present at the dinner table. "Well, let's see," she began, taking a bite of the sandwich. "First, you drove to Alex's house drunk, which was a _brilliant_ idea, by the way. Second, she drove you back in your Maxima, which she still has. And third, you _somehow_ convinced her to sleep with you. That about right?"

Vince nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Mickey?"

"Yep," Letty answered. "She saw Alex on her way out. You know she's leaving, right?"

"Who?" he muttered while rubbing at his forehead in an attempt at banishing his headache.

"Alex, dummy."

"What?" he snapped, suddenly awake and sober.

Letty nodded slowly. "Yeah, she's going on tour with Eddie's band." She watched his jaw clench in anger, his fingers twitching as though he was about to hit something. "What are you going to do about it?"

After a moment, he relaxed and shrugged a shoulder. "Fuck it. It wasn't meant to be."

"Don't be like that, V," Letty chided him on a scowl. "She likes you. She may even love you. I bet if you go after her, she'd stay."

He shook his head. "Why should I? She always goes running back to Eddie anyway."

"She's not running _back_ to anyone; she's running _away_ from _you_ because you hurt her. She doesn't want to deal with it anymore, so she's getting away. Does that make sense?"

"No."

"She doesn't _want _Eddie, V. He's not the reason she's going on tour. The reason is she wants to get as far away from you as possible because you continually mess with her head."

"Mess with her…"

"Yes, V!" Letty exclaimed, hoping she was getting her point across. "You're sending her all kinds of mixed messages. You want her, you don't, blah blah blah. It's gotta be hard on her. So she's leaving to escape from you. That's the reason. She's not leaving to go to Europe or to get back together with Eddie, she's leaving because of you."

Vince shook his head again. "Whatever, Let," he said, dismissing her words. "You think you can drive me to pick up my car?"

Letty let out a long sigh. She really wanted to get through to Vince, to make him see the mistake he was making. Sure, she wasn't as close to Alex as Mia or Michaela, but she liked the girl. Alex made Vince happy and that was really all Letty cared about. "Yeah, but you have to come to the grocery store with me after."

"I don't mind," Vince said before downing the rest of his coffee.

They drove to Alex's house in complete silence, save for the Latin music on the radio. Letty was surprised when Vince just walked up to the mailbox, grabbed the key, and got into the Maxima. She'd expected him to knock on the door and explain to Alex, or maybe apologize, but he left with his tail between his legs like a coward. Shaking her head at him, she followed him to the grocery store.

They hadn't been there long when Leon showed up with another list of things to buy for the barbeque. Letty could tell Leon knew about Vince and Alex by the way he refused to talk to Vince, but luckily, he kept his hands to himself. If the situation had been reversed and Leon had hurt Michaela, Letty sincerely doubted Leon would get by scotch free. She figured the reason Leon let it slide was because it was evident from the hurt in Vince's eyes that no punch in the face could make him feel any more pain than he already was experiencing.

The shopping took way too long since Vince was hungry and wanted to buy everything and Leon couldn't remember the extra things Dom had asked for. In the end, Letty had to call Dom and ask for specific instructions. After that, the three of them raced back to the fort.

Vince wasn't angry that he'd gotten last place in their race. He usually did. Leon's car was tuned to be faster than Dominic's and Letty used her NOS, which was against the rules, but he wasn't in the mood to fight her on it. What ticked him off was when he saw the punk standing next to the grill. He couldn't believe it. Dominic had let him in on their closest family ritual. This _Brian _guy was shady as shit, but Dom didn't seem to care. Of course, if Vince brought Alex back, Dom would've flipped, but this kid, this _punk _with a dirty past and a fondness for Mia; he was allowed in with no question. Then, it came to him. He knew exactly what he had to do. Fighting a smile, he handed the bag off to Leon. "I'm out of here," he stated, glaring at the punk so Dom thought that Brian was the reason he was leaving.

"Vince! Come over and help!"

"Looks like you've got all the help you need, brother!" he called back, getting back into the car and driving off with a squeal of his tires.

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So? what'd you think? Good? Bad? Ugly?

Let me know in a review! :)

~LoveInk


	13. Promises

Thanks so much to: **sweetist of sin**, **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **Violet201**, **lover of many things804**, and **Sassy Ava**. You guys are the greatest!

Author's Note: This chapter has a few minor characters from "The Blue Diamond". (I.E. Fisher and Ronnie) If you can't remember who Ronnie is, check out Chp. 29 of The Blue Diamond for a refresher. ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs. :)

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**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 13: Promises_

**By: LoveInk**

As Vince drove to Alex's house, he cranked up his music for the first time in weeks. He let his excitement take over as he weaved in and out of traffic. He was finally going to do something for himself and it felt good. He pulled into the driveway and practically ran to the door praying that she hadn't left yet. He knocked on it quickly, waiting anxiously for a few minutes before it was opened. The man who opened it was wearing a shirt with rhinestones on it that was a little too tight. His arms were heavily muscled, his hair perfectly into a faux-hawk. A cocky smirk was on his tan face, his hazel eyes amused. "Look who we have here," he sang.

Vince had only met Ronnie once before, but he had seen him many times both in the pictures around Alex's house and in the magazines Mia was always reading. "Ronnie," he greeted the other guy with a nod.

"I should kick your ass, but I have a feeling little Miss Lex would have a problem with that," he said, folding his arms over his chest. He gave Vince the once-over as if assessing whether or not he could take him. Vince had to admit that it'd be a fair fight; Ronnie was about the same size as him. "Is there something you want?"

"Is Alex home?"

"Yeah, man. She's packing though. Fish and I convinced her to go on tour with us. We're off to Paris in about five hours. Should be sweet."

"I heard," Vince admitted, scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck. "Can I talk to her?"

Ronnie shook his head. "Nah," he answered. "I don't think anything good will come of it."

"I want to fix things," Vince explained, hoping the explanation was enough. "You know, before she leaves."

Ronnie contemplated that thought for a moment. He heard his name in the background. "Hold on a sec," he told Vince, before leaning back. "What's up, Lexi?"

"Have you seen my orange Chucks?" Alex questioned, her eyes on the ground as she looked for the shoes.

"Yeah, fool, I almost tripped on them on my way to the kitchen," he answered her, positioning himself in front of the door so she couldn't see Vince.

"I don't see them," she said, getting down on all fours and searching under the couch. "Found them!" she exclaimed, standing up. "What are you doing?"

Ronnie shrugged a shoulder. "What's it look like?"

Alex narrowed her eyes at him. "Ron, if you're smoking again, I swear…"

He waved her away, shaking his head with a scowl. "I don't do that shit anymore. I was answering the door, dumbass."

"Who is it?"

"Its Vince," Ronnie stated easily. Alex felt her heart beat kick up a notch as she stared wide eyed at her friend. He looked confused, as usual. "You want me to kick his ass?" he offered with a smile.

Alex shook her head. "No, no," she said approaching the door slowly. Ronnie moved to share the space of the doorway with her instead of leaving. She glared at him. "Bye Ronnie."

"Oh come on, Lex," Ronnie begged with a scowl.

She shook her head and pushed him into the house, before closing the door behind her back. "What do you need, V?" she questioned, her green eyes looking tired and defeated.

"You," he answered honestly.

She squeezed her eyes shut as the word pulled at her heartstrings. Sucking in a deep breath, she shook her head; no, she wouldn't fall for that this time. "Don't _say_ stuff like that, Vince. _You_ broke up with _me_, remember?"

"Tiny, that was a mistake," he insisted, taking a few steps closer to her. He took it as a good sign when she didn't back away. "Someone told me it would be a good idea because we're doing some stupid shit and I went along with it."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What exactly are you doing?"

Vince sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't tell you; the more people that know about it, the bigger risk we have of getting in trouble."

Her emerald eyes hardened as she folded her arms over his chest. "So why come back to me?" she asked, anger creeping into her voice. "Why risk it?"

He knew he was treading dangerous waters if she was angry. He had to be very careful about how he worded his next answer or he'd lose her. "Because I hate being away from you," he answered honestly. "I hate the thought of you going off somewhere without me."

She scoffed while rolling her eyes and he cringed. He'd never had a way with words and obviously she hadn't understood what he'd been trying to say. "Why? Because Eddie is there? Is that what you're trying to say? You don't want to be with me, but you don't want me to be with anyone else?"

"No!" he shouted, frustrated. "I'm trying to tell you that I…I…"

"You what?" she yelled, exhausted with his beating around the bush.

"I love you!" he blurted out finally. He sighed, running his hands through his hair again. "Okay? I love you and I've been trying to tell myself that I was fine before I met you, so I'll be fine without you, but I can't do it, Tiny. You're not just another girl to me, and I'm not okay without you."

Alex felt her breath catch in her throat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did he really just say he loved her? She studied him closely, searching for any trace of a lie and found none. "You love me," she repeated softly.

He nodded and shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah."

Without another thought, she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in closer and lifting her feet off the floor.

A slow, loud clap was heard from the house. Ronnie stood there with a smirk on his face. "That's great, really," he said as they pulled away from each other. "But you do realize we're _still_ leaving tomorrow."

Her face fell. "I forgot about that." She glanced at Vince's face and wasn't surprised to see he had already known about her "trip". News spread like wildfire with his team. "Malia's part in the dance routine isn't essential," she started slowly. "It can be worked around."

"Not according to Eddie," Fisher shot back as he strode into the room. He didn't seem surprised to see Vince there, probably because Ronnie had explained everything to him. He did, however, make it a point to ignore him. "He said Malia's part is a crowd favorite and the only one who can do it justice is you."

Alex rolled her eyes. "That's ridiculous. The fans go to see them _not_ the dancers. Even so, Tonya's got that part down. Have her step up and put Malia in the background. She's got a fractured wrist so she can't stunt, but she can sure as hell do Tonya's part. No stunting there."

"Yeah, but the whole point was to have you there," Ronnie defended. "Our fans _love _ you, remember? You had your own fan club!"

Vince's eyebrows raised at that statement. He always forgot that people outside of his small world knew who his girlfriend was. That she'd graced the covers of magazines more than once with her ex-boyfriend. Alex rolled her eyes at Ronnie. "I did _not_. I had a lot more haters."

"Who cares? Tonya's dumb."

Fisher scoffed at Ronnie and rolled his eyes. "That and there's no way in hell she can pull off the aerial like you can."

Alex fought back with more technical dance jargon. Meanwhile, Vince looked between them like they were speaking a different language. There were so many dance terms being thrown around as they rehashed an entire routine to figure out a way to make it look good. Their conversation finally ended with Fisher throwing his hands up in the air before storming back to his room, muttering to himself.

Ronnie smirked. "You always manage to get your way, dontcha Lex?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "_Bundão." _(Asshole.)

"_Vagabunda_," he shot back as he followed Fisher. (Slut.)

She turned back to Vince. "They only want me to go so they can tease me all day."

Vince chuckled nervously. "So that means you're staying?" he asked, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"If you promise me you'll never pull a stupid stunt like that again, I'll stay," she said looking up at him hopefully.

He leant forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I promise."

* * *

I know, I know, Alex didn't really make him work _that_ hard...but he said he loved her! That would be enough to make any girl's heart melt, right? ;)

Should Alex have been a little harder? Do you like Ronnie and Fisher (they're really fun to write, btw)? Your thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc etc are always GREATLY appreciated!

FYI: the language Ron and Alex are speaking is Portuguese. ;)

~LoveInk


	14. Three Simple Words

Sorry this chapter is so short! I contemplated putting it with the next one, but it kind of ruined the overall feeling...anyways...

Lots and lots and lots of thanks to **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **Sassy Ava**, **sweetist of sin**, **Violet201**, and **lover of many things804**. You guys rock! It definitely made my day to come home after two ridiculously hard tests and see your reviews! :) Thank you! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 14: Three Simple Words_

**By: LoveInk**

A few hours later, Vince was stretched out on Alex's bed, a bowl of mac and cheese on his stomach, it was his third. After having some fun in bed, he'd cooked it up for dinner and they'd eaten it there, cuddled up together while watching some action movie. His phone blared loudly from the pocket of his discarded pants just as Alex came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her small frame. She leant over and grabbed it out of the pocket. "It's the bald one," she proclaimed, tossing the small phone to him.

Vince caught it easily as he sat up in bed. "What's up, Dominic?" he asked, watching as Alex got dressed. He stood, grabbed his boxers off the floor, and pulled them on.

"Where the hell did you run off to last night?" Dominic growled in response.

"What are you, my mother?" Vince shot back which got a giggle from Alex. She held out the straps of her bikini for him to tie. "I went out. That's it. What's going on?" he questioned, tying the ties swiftly before dropping a kiss onto her shoulder.

Dom cleared his throat. "We're going to tail Spilner tonight. He was asking a few too many questions about Hector's Civics. Got me thinkin' he might be suspicious. You going to be around or are you going to be "out"?"

Vince smirked; victory at last. Dom had admitted to Brian being suspicious. It was a small victory, but a good one. "Yeah, I'll be there."

"Meet us at the fort in about an hour."

"See you then." With that, he hung up the phone. He wrapped his arms around Alex's waist, setting his chin on her shoulder. "I have to go."

"Shady business?" she questioned, leaning her back into his chest.

Vince shrugged noncommittally. "Not dangerous shady, but shady."

Alex nodded indifferently. She didn't need to be with him every second of the day. If he wanted to go off and do something shady, it was fine by her as long as he was safe….and it was not in the company of another woman. "Okay," she said, turning in his arms and wrapping hers around his torso. "I told my uncle I'd stop by to see his new place sometime anyway. Might as well be tonight."

"I didn't know you had family here," he commented as he grabbed his jeans up off the floor and pulled them on.

"Yep. He's my mom's brother and my dad hates him. Says he's a criminal," she said on a sigh. "He's not though. He does something or other with car parts. Maybe you know him. Ted Ramon?"

Vince pulled a face. He knew the name all right. The man was a fence who worked with the Trans. He got them all sorts of car parts that supposedly "fell off of supply trucks," but no one bought that. "I've heard of him."

"Is he a drug dealer?" Alex asked, her nose wrinkling ever so slightly.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Nah. He sells dirty car parts."

"Oh, I see," she said with a frown. "That would be why my dad doesn't like him. Do you guys buy those?"

"No, we go to Harry."

"Are his parts dirty too?"

Vince shrugged. He didn't want to explain how sometimes they were legitimate and other times, they weren't. "Don't worry about it."

She laughed. "Fair enough. Should I worry about you tonight?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

He smiled when he felt her fingers hook around his belt loops pulling him closer to her before catching his lips in a sweet kiss. "Just be safe, okay?" she asked, looking up at him with her beautiful green eyes.

"I'll come over later if that'll make you feel better," he offered with a slow smile.

Alex shrugged a shoulder as she drew shapes on his hard chest with her finger. "If you want," she said nonchalantly. "I don't really care."

"You don't care, huh?" he asked, squeezing her sides and smiling as she erupted into giggles.

"No!" she shouted through her laughter.

He picked her up and threw her on the bed before attacking her, blowing raspberries into her neck. His phone rang again telling him that it was time to go. With a heavy sigh, he kissed her lips quickly before pushing himself off of the bed. "I'll see you later then?"

"You better," she said, trying to sound menacing. He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled on his tank top. Before he could open the door, her voice stopped him. "Hey you!" she yelled, he turned around and raised his eyebrows. "I love you."

Vince couldn't help but smile at the easy way in which she said it. He couldn't believe how much those three words had scared him in the past. Hearing them coming from her didn't scare him; it gave him this weird fuzzy feeling in his stomach. Not a bad feeling, a good one…an amazing one really. If he had known those simple words would make him feel this way, he would've said them much earlier. "You too, Tiny."

* * *

Review! Tell me your thoughts, I love hearing from you guys!

~LoveInk


	15. Shady Business

Another chapter! YAY! :) I'm glad you liked the last one!

Thanks so much to all the _fabulous_ reviewers especially: **Violet201**, **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Sassy Ava, Rated-Rgurl89, tfatfreak207**, and **lover of many things804**! :D

Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 15: Shady Business_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex parked in front of the dilapidated house. Her Uncle Ted was waiting for her on the steps, a large smile on his face. She was his favorite niece, the only who still talked to him. Her older sisters had been turned off after he'd borrowed money and failed to return it, her youngest sister thought he was creepy, but Alex thought he was just a lonely man desperate for some company.

"Hey Uncle Ted," she said giving him a hug.

"There's my favorite niece," he exclaimed. "Come on inside."

She followed him inside taking note of the disgusting state of the house. There was garbage everywhere. "Ted, when was the last time you cleaned this place?"

He shrugged a shoulder as headed back into the kitchen to get them drinks. "It's been awhile. I've been busy with work and stuff."

"I bet," she mumbled under her breath. Now that she knew he sold dirty car parts, she wondered how exactly he managed it. Where did these parts come from? The urge to ask him was strong, but she held her tongue. "How's business these days?" she asked instead, moving an old pizza box off the sofa so she could sit.

"It's going, it's going."

A pounding on the door made her jump out of her seat. "Open up Ted! We know you're in there!" a loud voice shouted on the other side.

Alex looked to her uncle who had gone pale. "Lexi, maybe you should hide in the other room, just for a moment," he suggested under his breath. "Can never be too careful."

She got up to go when the door burst open, three angry men standing behind it. Her fight or flight response kicked in and she made a run for the next room, but one of the men hooked a foot around her ankle, tripping her. He hauled her up non-too-gently, holding her arms behind her back as another held a gun to her face.

Alex struggled against the guys hold. "Let me go, you asshole!" she cursed at him.

"Shut up!" the man shouted, smacking her across the face with the gun. She saw stars before the taste of blood filled her mouth.

"Stop!" Ted shouted, addressing not the men holding her hostage, but the one at the door. "Leave her alone. She didn't do anything!"

The man at the door grabbed Ted's arm. "Johnny wants some words with you," he said pulling him to the door.

"All right, all right! Just don't hurt my niece," he said heading toward the door.

Alex marveled at his calm. These men were all carrying guns and Ted didn't seem to be fazed by it. The man who was holding the gun in her face smiled at her before gesturing toward the door with his gun. "C'mon sweetheart. Don't give us another reason to hurt that pretty face of yours," the man holding her whispered in her ear. Chills ran down her spine as she fought against every impulse in her body that told her to kick him in the balls.

She followed them reluctantly and got into the dark sedan parked outside where they sat her between her uncle and a leather clad Asian man. "You okay?" Ted whispered to her.

She was too angry to answer him. Staring straight ahead, she tried to commit the directions they were going to memory, just in case. Hesitantly she touched her cheek, surprised when her finger came away covered with blood. Apparently, some part of the gun had nicked her when she was hit with it. _Stupid asshole_, she thought to herself, wondering how on earth she would explain such a mark to Vince. He would be livid. She cringed at the thought of running interference between Vince and her uncle; though she had to admit, she wouldn't mind if Vince hit him...just once though.

"Did Tran say what he wanted?" Ted asked as they pulled into what looked like an Asian restaurant of some sort.

"You'll find out soon enough," the man next to Alex said in a menacing tone.

_Tran_. She knew that name, had heard Vince and Dom cursing it and making jokes about some kid named Johnny. The car stopped and the Asian man brusquely grabbed her out of the car, his hands gripping her arms a little too tightly. "I can move on my own," she muttered, glaring at the oversized man.

The man with the gun shoved them both toward the front of shop. "Move!" he ordered, pushing them in the direction of a leather clad Asian man who had just gotten out of a very nice little convertible.

_That must be Johnny_, she thought standing idly aside while two more men came up behind her, flashing their guns in warning._ Like I'd try to run_, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

"Let me ask you a question, Ted," Johnny began addressing her uncle. "Do you see anything wrong here?"

Alex stood on her tip toes to see what they were talking about, but couldn't see anything. The lifted hoods of the cars were blocking her view. She settled back onto her heels with a disappointed look on her face. "No," Ted answered confidently.

Johnny grabbed his neck, shoving it into the car. "We got no engines do we? Do we?"

"No!" Ted shouted, his voice strained by the way he was bent into the car.

Johnny asked her uncle a question about some type of engine she assumed he needed before saying, "You're a smart fence, Ted. Maybe too smart." Alex bit back a laugh at that one. After today, her opinion of her uncle was changed. She didn't consider him smart; he was probably the farthest thing from smart that she could think of. Johnny headed towards a lube pump. "What are you feelin', Lance?" he addressed the man holding a gun at Ted. "A forty weight? A fifty weight?"

Alex had no idea what they were talking about, but it didn't sound good. Before she knew it, they had him on the ground and were pumping lube into his face. "Ted!" she shouted struggling against the man who was holding her in an attempt to help her uncle. True, he was a stupid criminal, but he didn't deserve to have a lube bath.

Vince would know that voice anywhere. His eyes snapped to the other corner of the shop where he saw a small girl struggling against the hold of one of Tran's goons. Her dark hair blocked the few of her face as she tried to loosen the grip of the man holding her, but he was sure it was her. One of Johnny's cousins, Jack, stepped in front of them, grabbing hold of her face to stop her from moving. She stopped, green eyes flashing, and spat in his face. Vince smirked proudly, _Atta girl_.

Jack chuckled before slapping her across the face. Vince was on his feet and ready to go beat some sense into the asshole when he caught Dom's glare telling him to stay put.

The pain from Jack's slap made her eyes water. He happened to hit the same spot she'd been hit before. She bit her tongue to keep herself from crying out as she watched Johnny force Ted to kiss his shoes before kicking him square in the chest. "Let's go get our engines!" Johnny announced, his voice almost triumphant.

"What about this?" The man holding her shoved her towards Johnny so that she fell at his feet. "She's his niece."

Johnny caught her face in his hands gently and smiled. "What happened to her?"

"She tried to get away," Jack answered on a gruff laugh.

"Huh," Johnny said, his thumb lightly stroking over her lower lip. "A shame. Pretty little thing, aren't you?" She knew better than to say anything so she gritted her teeth together and stayed quiet. He regarded her a few minutes more before turning to his goons. "Leave her be. Someone needs to clean up that mess. Let's go get our engines."

They turned off the lights and closed the doors, leaving Ted and Alex alone in the dark garage. She could see her uncle's shape in the dim light that spilled in from the street lamps and walked over to him extending a hand to help him up. "I'm sorry, Lexi," Ted said as he got to his feet.

"You can explain later," she replied, her voice shaking. "Let's just get out of here before they come back." They began walking to the door just as an electronic beep sounded through the garage. She whirled around, her eyes searching out where the sound came from. "What was that?"

"Sounded like a walkie," Ted said, taking a few steps toward the sound. "Hello? Anyone in here?" he called out, putting himself in front of Alex. Three forms stepped out from behind the cars, two of them holding flashlights. Alex threw an arm over her face, shielding her eyes as a bright beam of light fell straight on her.

* * *

Dun dun duuuun... :)

Review! Please! ;)

~LoveInk


	16. Saved by the Punk

Warning: a little bit more strong language than usual. ;)

Thank you thank you thank you to: **Violet201, xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Sassy Ava, **and** sweetist of sin**. You guys rock my socks! ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 16: Saved By the Punk_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince almost dropped the flashlight he was holding when he saw her face. A bruise was slowly darkening on her face and her hand was tinted red with dried blood. "Alex?" he said, trying to keep the worry and anger out of his voice. He didn't want to clue Dom in on their relationship. Putting the flashlight down, he took a slow step towards her. "What are you doing here?"

Relief washed over her. She was so thankful it was him and not some other gang ready to threaten her. The urge to run to him was strong, but she held back. He'd explained the reason why Dom and the rest of his family should be kept in the dark about their relationship, and she wasn't about to blow it. "I was at my uncle's place," she replied swiping at her face with her fingers. It came away bright red once again and she cringed before continuing, "They came in with their guns and took us here." She knew better than to ask what he was doing there.

Dominic stepped out of the shadows then, his dark eyes narrowing as they focused on her briefly before turning on Ted. "What are you getting them Ted?"

"That's none of your business, Toretto," Ted shot back.

"You want a ride home or not? I don't mind just leaving you two here," Dom stated, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. He smirked, his dark eyes landing on Alex. "I'm sure the Trans would love to come back and find you here. I bet they'd exchange a ride for a ride. Johnny seemed interested. You want to ride him, Alex?"

Vince glared at Dom as anger bubbled through his veins. He knew what his friend was implying and he didn't like it. Alex watched his fists clench and her eyes widened. A fight between Dominic and Vince would not turn out well. Besides, she wanted to get out of the Tran's garage before they came back. Clearing her throat, she caught his attention briefly and shook her head imperceptibly. "Fuck you, Dominic," she said, trying to make her voice sound tough like Letty's sounded when she said stuff like that. It wasn't the classiest response, but she was too tired to be polite. If it had been anyone else, she would've slapped them, but Dom scared her; she wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't hit her back. "We don't need your help. C'mon Ted, let's go."

She turned to leave but Ted's voice stopped her. "You know, I don't think they'd be too upset. In fact, I'm sure they'd be real interested to know that Mr. Dominic Toretto, "King of the Streets" was sneaking around in their garage with his two goons."

"You sayin' you're going to nark on me, Ted?" Dominic asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ted nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying, Toretto."

"Huh," Dom said, nodding his head. He nodded towards Alex. "What about you? You going to nark, little one?"

"I don't even know what that is," she said on a sigh. She turned on her heel and made her way to the door. She was sick of the stupid manly displays of power-from her Uncle threatening to "nark" to Dominic flexing his muscles every chance he got- they were just dumb.

She walked out of the garage, trying to ignore the sound of Ted and Dom yelling at each other. Vince was after her in a matter of seconds. He grabbed her arm gently, turning her to face him. "What are you doing, Tiny?" he asked.

"I would rather walk home than watch those two assholes have a dick measuring contest," she answered, sending a glare at the garage. She heard a third voice join the other two and rolled her eyes.

He chuckled, gently pushing a stray hair behind her ear. "Are you all right?" he asked, his thumb ghosting over the now scabbed cut on her cheek. He wasn't angry at her, he couldn't be. It wasn't her fault that the Trans came in unannounced."What did he do to you, Tiny?"

She nodded before letting out a long breath and wrapping her arms around his torso. "Hit me with his gun," she answered, leaning her forehead into his strong chest. "It was scary," she mumbled into his mesh tank.

When he realized she was shaking, he held her tighter. "Hey, you're okay now," he assured her. Dipping his head, he pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm here. No one is going to touch you."

Brian walked outside to find Vince with his arms enveloping the strange girl. He watched them for awhile, trying to work out their relationship. He knew they weren't siblings; he'd already met Michaela. Perhaps they were friends. When Vince leant down to press a quick kiss to her lips, Brian realized just how wrong he was. He wondered if Dom was aware of this relationship. He sure as hell didn't treat the girl as if she was important, but she was so clearly important to Vince. Why had Dom treated her so badly then? If they were best friends, wouldn't Dom treat her a little better? Something was off. He had to find out who this girl was and figure out what kind of history created the tension between her and Toretto. So far, all he had was her first name and that she had a fondness for scruffy men.

He heard Dom and Ted approaching, still bitching at each other and cleared his throat to alert the couple of his presence. They pulled away from each other just as Dom and Ted rounded the corner. Though Vince gave him a murderous glare in response, the brunette gave him a thankful smile he hadn't been expecting from someone so close to Vince. Again, he wondered what Dom's problem with the girl was. She seemed innocent enough.

"Let's go," Dom growled, making his way over to the Jetta.

Alex didn't know who the blonde man was, but she was thankful for his interruption. If it wasn't for him, Dom would've caught them red-handed and they would have been screwed. She followed Dom and Ted toward the white Jetta. "Allie?" Jesse questioned, his tone curious as he studied her face. "Isn't the restaurant closed?"

Her eyes fell on the younger boy in the driver's seat and she nodded. "It's a shame too. I was craving Chinese," she said airily earning herself a light laugh from both Jesse and the blonde stranger. Vince was too angry at Ted and Dom to laugh.

"Get in the car," Dom growled at her, slamming his door shut after he got.

"Yes sir," Alex muttered before stepping around to the back seat. The three other guys were crammed into it. The blonde guy in the middle because Vince didn't want to be anywhere near Ted. She looked at them skeptically, unsure of where to sit.

"C'mon, Tiny," Vince said, grabbing her wrist and gently pulling her sideways onto his lap. He slipped one arm around her waist and draped the other over her legs. She snuggled her face into his neck, inhaling the comforting scent of sweat mixed with soap.

Vince's arms tightened around her when they pulled up in front of Ted's house first. He couldn't believe it! The place was completely out of the way and it would've been much easier to drop Brian off first, but it was clear Dominic wanted to get rid of Alex as quickly as possible and that pissed him off. How could he let Brian in so easily and yet push Alex as far away as possible? It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

Alex got out of the car slowly, squeezing Vince's hand as he did so. She nodded to Ted who mumbled a quick goodbye to Dominic before jogging into the house leaving Alex outside. Vince caught her glance briefly and she mouthed the word, "stay." If he went along with her, they'd blow their cover out of the water. He didn't look happy about it, but he nodded anyway.

She approached the driver's side to say a quick goodbye to Jesse. The kid gave her a worried look. On the way over, Dom had given him a short summary of what happened, and he was a little concerned about the darkening bruise on the side of her cheek. "Put some ice on that, Allie," Jesse suggested as he got out of the driver's seat to give her a hug.

"I will. Thanks," Alex said, hugging him tightly. When she pulled away she ran a shaky hand through her hair, smiling at him. "Don't tell Lee, okay? He overreacts."

Jesse nodded as he got back into the car. "See ya around, Als." He waited for her to get into the Jeep and start it up before he pulled out of the drive.

They dropped Brian off at his truck before heading back to the fort. As soon as Jesse parked, Vince was out of the car and in Dom's face. "Where do you get off talking to people like that?" Vince growled.

"What the hell are you talking about, Vince?"

"Callin' her a nark? Saying Tran would like to ride her? What the fuck was that?" he shouted in response. "She didn't do anything to you!"

"Who gives a shit, V? You're not a little bit suspicious about why she was there?" Dom shot back at him. "She's involved with the fucking Trans now? I know a cop when I see one!"

Vince shook his head at him. "You're a fuckin' idiot."

"_I'm_ an idiot?" Dom repeated sarcastically. "You're a moron for trusting her! Look how fast she got in with the Trans, V!"

"You don't know what you're talking about. Ted is her Uncle."

Dominic rolled his eyes. He was sick of hearing Vince defend her. "Bull shit. I'm sure now that she can't get in with us, she'll move right on to Tran. She's just another girl, Vince! Suck it up and forget about her!"

Without another word, Vince launched his fist into Dom's face before heading toward his car.

* * *

heh. Dom's an ass. I swear I really do love him though! I may have gone a little over the top but I think Dom would be stressed to the max with all the heists and stuff and sometimes people under stress just snap...Anyway...what do you think? Let me know in a review. :)

~Love Ink


	17. My Kryptonite

Sorry it took me so long to upload this! I've been so busy with school and midterms and stuff!

Thanks so much to:** Violet201, Rater-Rgurl89, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, tfatfreak207, Sassy Ava, xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, sweetist of sin, **and **lover of many things804**. You guys rock! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 17: My Kryptonite_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince pushed his car as fast as it would go on his way to Alex's house. The need to make sure she was all right overwhelmed him. Like Dom, he had not missed the way Tran had looked at her and it didn't sit well with him. He knew the Trans had a kid like Jesse who hacked into police files; they could easily get her name and address. The thought of them paying her a visit when she was alone and unprotected made him sick to his stomach.

He got out and ran to the door, pressing the doorbell repeatedly until she finally opened it. As soon as she saw him, she threw her arms him. "Oh thank God," she murmured, burying her face into his chest.

He held her tightly against him, gently lifting her off her feet and walking her back into the house. "You okay, Tiny?" he asked, setting her back down on the ground.

She nodded, pulling away to look up at him. "I'm fine, big guy," she said giving him a shaky smile. "Just a little scared."

Vince nodded in understanding. He tenderly pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, eyeing the small cut on her bruised cheek. It looked bad."If I see those Trans again…"

"I'm all right, big guy," she repeated. "It's just a small cut. Nothing to hurt anyone over."

"Have you seen it, Tiny? It looks bad," he said brushing his thumb over the small cut. "C'mon, let's clean you up," he said, taking her hand and pulling her into the bathroom. "Where's your first aid kit?" he questioned, already looking through her cabinets.

"You don't remember?" she teased, smiling when he rolled his eyes at her. "It's under the sink," she murmured while she examined her face in the mirror. Her cheek really did look awful. She pushed on the purple area around the cut and hissed in pain.

Vince looked at her like she was crazy. "What the hell are you doing? That's a bruise, sweetheart. It's gonna hurt when you touch it."

"Yeah, I realize that now," she said feeling a little foolish. "It's just weird that it's on my face."

"You've never been hit in the face before?" he asked with a smirk. "Sit," he ordered, gesturing to the counter.

She shook her head no as she jumped up onto the counter. "I'm good at ducking."

His rumbling laugh filled the small bathroom, making her smile. She knew he'd get a kick out of that. "Tiny, I'd love to know who you've been fighting."

"My sister, naturally," she said with a devilish grin as he put alcohol onto a cotton ball. She eyed the small ball of white fluff with extreme disdain. "Please don't put that on my face."

"Too late," he said, quickly passing the cotton over the cut.

She hissed in pain, her eyes glaring up at him angrily. "I hate you," she stated flatly.

He chuckled as he continued wiping the blood off her face. "Liar," he said, dipping his head to catch her lips in a quick kiss.

She smiled up at him as he searched the first aid kit for an ice pack. "How'd you get so good at this first aid stuff?" she asked, curiously.

"I've had more than enough cuts and bruises to know how to take care of them," he answered with a shrug.

"You clean yourself up? Mia doesn't help?"

Vince shook his head. "Mia doesn't help because she thinks I deserve it most of the time. Says that if I start shit, I should deal with the consequences by myself."

"I'd gladly clean you up," Alex said winking at him seductively.

"Just how hard did he hit you?" he questioned, surprised at the innuendo in his usually innocent girlfriend's tone. Her hands slipped underneath his shirt and trailed over his abs making his blue eyes glaze over with lust as he swallowed thickly. "You sure you're all right?"

"Yes," she insisted. "I just got a little scared."

Vince raised an eyebrow wondering where she was going with that statement. "Just a little?" he questioned with a grin. He gently lifted the ice pack and pressed it against her cheek holding it there as he kissed her forehead. "I was ready to shoot Jack Tran in the face."

Her hands rubbed over his sides before moving to his back where they came up against a cold piece of metal tucked into the waist band of his jeans. She tugged the gun out of his jeans and held it in between them. "Vince…" she began, her eyes filling with worry.

He took the gun from her hands and set it on the sink beside her. "It was just a precaution, Tiny. It wasn't likely I'd need it."

"Right," she said on a breath.

"Besides, I prefer to use my fists instead," he said, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Like a real man?"

Jokingly, he raised his arm up, flexing his muscles. "Of course. These guns are the best guns."

Alex laughed, reaching out a hand to squeeze one of his biceps. "Oh you're so manly and strong, Vince," she teased, her voice in a high falsetto, no doubt mocking the racing skanks. "Please, _please_ feel free to have your way with me."

"If you say so." In one fluid motion, he lifted her off the counter and flung her over his shoulder. She giggled the whole way to the bedroom, smacking his butt a few times on the trek. Once in the room, he flipped her onto the bed before attacking her with his lips.

After having some fun, they lay there in bed panting. Alex lay on top of him, her chest against his. His fingers gently traced the planes of her face, caressing every curve and line. "You're amazing," he murmured quietly.

She smiled sleepily up at him. "Thanks. You're pretty cool, too," she replied, giggling when he rolled his eyes. She caught his hand in hers, briefly studying his knuckles. They were a swollen and red. "Who'd you hit?"

He flexed them briefly, wincing as a small pain traveled up his arm. "Dominic."

Her green eyes widened in shock. "Why?" she asked, sliding off of him. She rested her head on his heart, its soft beat lulled her into a state of relaxation.

"Because of what he said," he explained, draping his arm over her hip. "I would've done it right then and there, but I wanted to get the hell out of there before they came back."

"You didn't have to do that," she said looking up at him.

He shrugged a shoulder. "I did. No one talks about my girl like that."

She brushed soft kisses over his injured knuckles. "My Superman," she said on a sigh.

"What happened to knight in shining armor?" he asked.

"Superman's better," she said around a yawn. "Knights always have a chink in their armor."

"Superman has Kryptonite."

"You don't," she murmured sleepily, her eyes fluttering closed.

He smiled when he felt her breathing get heavier; she always fell asleep first. He lay there stroking her hair thinking about what she said. She'd been wrong. He did have a weak spot; her.

* * *

A little bit of cheese, but hopefully its still good! :)

As always, I'm dying to know what you, the reader, thinks so leave me a review. Please? :D

~Love Ink


	18. Just Happy

Sorry it took me so long! I had a lot of this story already written so I just edited and added before posting, but I finally hit the point where I'm having to write things as I go so my updates may be just a tad slower...I apologize in advance!

Thank you so much to the amazing reviewers! **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Violet201, sweetist of sin, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Sassy Ava, **and **lover of many things804**! Your reviews make my day and definitely help me feel better after a long day of studying! Thank you! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 18: Just Happy_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex fought the urge to smile as she entered the dance studio. It was during the off time when no classes were scheduled, so she new Michaela wouldn't be busy. She skipped into the office where Michaela looked up at her in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be in Paris?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I didn't go," she stated, shrugging a shoulder. She dropped into the chair in front of the desk, kicking her feet up onto it. "I decided spending a few months with Eddie would be absolute hell."

"I could've told you that." Michaela's eyes studied Alex briefly. She was wearing a simple black tank over a neon green bikini top and a pair of cut off shorts. Her dark hair was wet and pulled up into a messy bun, probably because she went surfing that morning. Michaela's eyes widened when she saw the small cut and dark bruise on her cheek. "What the hell happened to your face?"

"Ron and I were messing around and he got a little too into it," she lied easily.

"He punched you in the face?" Michaela asked, traces of doubt in her voice.

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "It was an accident. Do you need me?"

"Um no, your sub is here. You want me to tell her to go home?"

"Nah, it's all right. I think I'm gonna go hang out with Mia at the shop for a little. You know, take a breather?"

"O_kay_," Michaela drew out the word, looking at her friend like she had three heads. She hadn't seen this bubbly, happy Alex in weeks. She could think of only one reason for it; drugs. "Are you on something?"

Alex shook her head exaggeratedly. "Nope," she said with a grin. "Just happy. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No it's just…you've been all mopey for like a month and now all of a sudden you're skipping around. It's kind of weirding me out a little."

"Just a change of heart, that's all," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "You want me to grab lunch for you at the store?"

Michaela shook her head. "Nah, I'll meet you there after class. I'll tell Lee too. He'll be stoked you're staying."

"Sounds good. I'll see you later then!" Alex chirped in response as she took her mirrored aviator sunglasses off her head and put them on.

"Okay, weirdo," she replied, waving at her friend. Once she was gone, Mickey looked back down at the desk. "Cocaine is one hell of a drug," she murmured to herself.

* * *

Mia was surprised to see Alex's green Jeep pull into the parking lot, especially since she parked it just a few spaces away from Vince's blue Maxima. She'd talked to Alex earlier that day and had heard all about her decision to stay in town, though it all seemed shady to her. "Hey Mia," Alex greeted sitting down on a stool. "Hows it going?"

"What happened to your face?" Mia asked, a small gasp leaving her lips when she saw the extent of the bruise.

"Ronnie. We were rough housing. He got too rough," Alex explained easily. "Are you excited for your date tonight?"

Mia grinned and nodded. "Yes. Brian's a really nice guy. You'd like him, he surfs."

"Really? Cool," Alex commented, before saying a quick thank you to Mia when she set a turkey sandwich and an orange soda in front of her.

It was then that Vince walked in, carrying a huge box of sodas. Mia watched as Alex briefly glanced at him before becoming very interested in her sandwich at the same time as Vince set down the box, making sure to keep his head down as he shelved the soft drinks inside of it. "When are _you_ going to getting back into the dating world, Lex? It's about time," Mia asked. She'd asked that specific question on purpose, hoping to the question would wake Vince up a little; make him see he'd made the wrong decision and perhaps even make him apologize for being such an idiot before.

"Who says I haven't already?" Alex questioned, the corners of her mouth pulling up into a secretive grin. She quickly locked eyes with Vince who gave her a discreet wink behind Mia's back.

"That's impossible. You were all dark and broody last time I saw you. There's no way any guy would be attracted to you while you're like that, no offense."

Alex shrugged off her comment. "None taken."

"Don't tell me its Eddie," Mia said, laughing when Alex wrinkled her nose in disgust while shaking her head no. "Well then, who?"

"No one," she answered as she opened her can of soda. "Mind your own business."

"Oh come _on_, Lex, we are _so_ past this!" Mia shouted in frustration. She turned to look back at Vince who was smiling before looking back at Alex. Then it clicked. Vince was _smiling_. "No. Way."

Alex fought the grin that was threatening to spread on her face. She knew Mia had made the connection, but she wasn't going to give it to her that easily. "What?"

"You," she said pointing at Alex before turning and pointing at Vince. "And you? Again? Really? Oh, I hope you made him _beg_."

"She didn't make it easy, that's for sure," Vince muttered under his breath, giving Alex the go ahead to discuss their relationship.

"Holy crap! I can't believe it!" Mia exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. "_Finally_ someone listens to me!"

Alex raised an eyebrow; she hadn't heard about Mia's involvement before. Vince gave her a sheepish grin and shrugged a shoulder. "She may have suggested it."

"Thanks Mi," Alex said softly.

Mia waved her off with a roll of her eyes. "Oh my gosh, Mickey and Leon are going to freak."

"No, they're not," Vince said quickly. "Because we're not telling anyone else. The only reason I'm tellin' you is because I know you'll find out anyway, and I'd rather just tell you than have you gossiping with Let and my sister about it."

"Smart move, Mr. Catella," Mia joked. "So does this mean you're going to Race Wars?"

Alex furrowed her brow in confusion. "What's that?"

Mia ignored her and turned to Vince. "Oh she has to come, Vince! Please! It'll be so much fun! Lex, it's a huge party in the desert. Tons of dancing and craziness. You'd love it."

Alex looked at Vince as if asking for permission and he shrugged. "You can come if you want, Tiny," Vince offered. He'd love to have her there. Not only to have her close, but also because he knew it piss Dom off. "It's up to you."

Mia stepped around the corner and slung an arm around Alex's shoulders. "You should. If only to keep an eye on him because Race Wars are just like the races but times ten. If you saw the amount of trash Vince and Leon used to pick up…" she shuddered while shaking her head. "It was disgusting."

"Trash, huh?" Alex repeated a curious gleam in her green eyes as she looked at Vince. "You are such a manwhore."

"_Was_, I _was _a manwhore. Past tense," he corrected with a smirk.

"So he admits it! And it's settled that you're going to Race Wars with me," Mia exclaimed, a triumphant smile on her face. "I want to hear how you two got back together. Every single detail. Go."

Vince stopped shelving things and walked as quickly as he could do the back as if to pick up more boxes, leaving Alex alone to tell the story. She groaned, setting her forehead down on the table counter. "It's really not that big of a deal, Mi," she mumbled, trying to get out of it.

"Again, are you really going to play the privacy card, Lex? C'mon. I know you want to tell me."

"Fine," she muttered on a sigh. "He rushed all the way over here from somewhere…"

Mia's eyes widened. "_That's_ why he left our barbeque! For _you_! Not because of Brian!"

"Sure," Alex commented, giving Mia a confused look.

"Go on," the other girl prompted. She hated when Alex was like this, sometimes talking to her was like pulling teeth.

"And Ronnie answered the door…" A loud engine interrupted her thought and minutes later, Leon's yellow Skyline pulled into the parking lot. "Oh no, Leon's here. Guess I can't tell my story. Bummer," Alex said, feigning disappointment.

Mia narrowed her eyes at her. "We are so not done."

Alex laughed, slipping her aviators on to cover the bruise on her cheek. She knew telling Leon that Ronnie was the one who accidentally hit her would not fly. He would either get pissed at Ronnie or call her on her lie. He walked in lazily, a toothpick hanging out of the corner of his mouth. "Look who it is," he said, a grin on his face. "A little birdy told me you were staying."

"Yes sir," she said with a smile.

He pressed a brotherly peck to her cheek. "Good," he said before ruffling her hair lovingly. "Nice sunglasses."

"Thanks."

"You wear them inside often?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "I do what I want."

"Let me see them," he said reaching out to grab them. He got them off before she could stop him. "Uh-huh. Thought so. _A ver_." He grabbed her chin again, turning her face so he could see it in the light. (Let's see.)

"_Déjame_, Lee. I'm fine," she said, pushing his hand away with a scowl. (Leave me alone).

"Jesse _me dijo. Tienes que tener cuidado, petisa. Ellos te matarían sin pensarlo dos veces_." (Jesse told me. You have to be careful, shorty. They'll kill you without thinking twice.)

Mia let out an annoyed sigh as they continued speaking in rapid Spanish. She could handle it when Vince and Michaela talked in Italian because that she understood, but Spanish was a whole different language. That was Dom and Letty's arena. She knew the basics, but they were talking much too fast for her to pick it up. She glanced back at Vince who had reappeared after Leon had come in. He looked just as irritated as Mia. "I hate it when they do that," he murmured so only Mia could hear. "It's fuckin' annoying."

Mia nodded in agreement before slapping a hand down on the counter to catch their attention. "Ex_cuse _me! We were talking in _English _here!"

After giving Leon a dirty look, Alex turned back to Mia. "Sorry, what were we talking about again?"

"How's Brian doing at the shop?" Mia asked curiously.

"He's decent. Knows his way around a garage," he said, taking a seat next to Alex as Mia set a plate in front of him. A red truck pulled into the parking lot. Leon raised an eyebrow. "Speak of the devil."

Alex watched as the blonde guy from the night before stepped out of the bright red truck, a huge smile on his face. His eyes stayed on Mia until he was at the counter. "How's it going, Mia?"

Mia played it cool, giving him just a hint at a smile. "Good. Tuna?"

"Yeah, please," he said, taking the seat on the other side of Alex. He was surprised to see the girl from the night before at the shop. He was even more surprised when Leon muttered something in Spanish which she replied to with a soft slap to his face and a long string of words Brian was pretty sure were Spanish swear words.

"Stop it already! No one can understand you!" Mia shouted, stopping Leon before he could even reply.

Leon smirked. "You know that's the point, right Mia?"

Alex giggled at Mia's furious glare. Her phone rang and she glimpsed at it before grimacing. "I have to take this. I'll talk to you guys later," she sang catching Vince's eye in a meaningful glance before heading off towards her car.

"Who was that?" Brian asked, wondering if the casual question would earn him her full name.

Before Mia could respond, Vince's voice interrupted her in a low growl. "None of your damn business, buster."

* * *

So? What'd you think? :) Let me know in a review!

~Love Ink


	19. Taking Care

Sorry it has taken me so long! I've been changing this chapter around and editing it and I still don't think I like it very much. Let me know your thoughts! :)

Many, many, many thanks to the incredibly awesome reivewers: **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Lola427, Violet201, Sassy Ava, **and **MistressxCandelightxChaos**! You guys inspire me to write more, faster! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 19: Taking Care_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela sighed as she walked into the fort. The team minus Vince and Mia were all laying around in the living room watching a movie. She knew Mia was on her date with Brian, but she had no clue where her brother was. "Anyone seen V?" she asked, dropping her dance bag near the door.

"He's not here," Jesse said simply. "And his car isn't in the drive."

"Hmm," she said in response.

"He'll be around later. We have a job tonight," Dom explained on a sigh. The bruise around his eye had faded significantly. Probably because Letty insisted he put ice on it the second she saw it.

Vince had avoided him the whole day, giving them both some time to cool down. By the time they saw each other again, it would be forgotten. Michaela never understood that about their relationship. They could do the crappiest, lowest, most awful things to each other and be fine the next day, as long as they had some time apart.

Dom's statement got groans from all of the team. Truth be told, they were all sick of the heists despite the huge amounts of cash they earned from them. Michaela sighed before gently nudging Leon's thigh with her toe. "My house is empty."

He was busy tinkering with a toy engine and hadn't really heard her. "That's great, Princess," he mumbled distractedly. She kicked him a little harder this time so that he finally looked up at her. "What?"

"My house is empty," she stated again.

"She wants sex, Lee," Letty stated bluntly, irked that their exchange was interrupting the movie they were watching.

A blush turned the tops of Leon's ears a bright red as he stood up slowly. "Thank you, Letty," he shot at her. He grabbed Michaela's outstretched hand and together they made the trek across the street.

"To be clear, Letty was wrong," Michaela said with a smile. "I just want some alone time."

He gave her a grateful smile. "Sex wouldn't be bad either."

"We'll see," she sang, swinging their hands back and forth as they walked. "You think something shady is going on with Alex?"

Leon shrugged a shoulder. "I think she finally got over Vince."

"I don't know," she said as she thought. "You don't think she found someone new do you?"

He scoffed and shook his head. "Nah, we would've heard about it."

"Hmm." Once inside, she dragged him up the stairs. "Lie down," she ordered, gesturing to the bed.

"This some new dominatrix thing?" he asked, looking mildly revolted. He wasn't as kinky as people thought he was.

She smiled at him and shook her head. "I was going to give you a massage, but if you don't want it…"

Leon let out a sigh of relief. "Yes please," he said, pulling his shirt off before falling face first onto the bed. He smiled when he felt her hands start to run her hands over his back. She was an expert at massages; the skill was something she'd picked up in Vegas. "I love you," he said on a content sigh.

"I know," she said, smiling as she dug a knuckle into a particularly big knot, eliciting a small groan from him. "How were things with Bri today?"

"Dom showed him the Charger," he replied.

She sighed. Like her brother, she didn't trust Brian. There was something off about him. The fact that Dom showed him to see the Charger troubled her; it meant that he trusted him. "I don't trust him."

"That doesn't bode well for the punk," Leon mused. Michaela was always right about her hunches. If she didn't trust someone, it was usually for a good reason. "You think he's a cop too?"

Michaela was surprised by the question. She'd never considered that option before. "Who thinks that?"

"Your brother."

"Oh he's definitely a cop then," she replied, her tone completely serious. "Vince can spot pigs from a mile away. That used to be his job a few years ago."

"Spotting policemen?"

"Uh-huh," she said nodding her head enthusiastically. "He was the middle man for this dealer. He'd take the drugs to the meeting place and watch whatever fool he was supposed to meet. If he was a cop, he'd go home. If not, he'd deliver the drugs. He was really good at it too."

"What happened?"

Michaela sighed. "One day the copper found him. He had some weed in his back pocket or something and he got thrown into jail for a few months."

"For weed?" Leon questioned. He doubted the police gave such a long sentence for possession of marijuana.

"I don't know. That's the story he's always told me," she said shrugging it off. She knew her brother left parts out of the story, but she didn't mind. She knew he'd only done that job to make money to support them after Mr. Toretto died and while Dom was in jail.

"Mmm," Leon said for lack of a better response.

"I'm worried about him, Lee," she admitted quietly. "He's lost almost everything. Now, he's starting to lose Dom to Brian. What's he going to have left?"

"He'll always have her," he answered softly.

"Alex?"

He nodded in response. "She loves him. I can see it on her face. They were both at the store today and she was just couldn't stop glancing at him. It was ridiculous. He hurt her so badly that she cries herself to sleep, but she was still looking at him like he was the best thing she'd ever seen."

"She was in the same room with him?" Michaela asked on a gasp.

"You're kind of missing the point," Leon grumbled in response.

She shook her head despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "No, no, I got it. He totally messed her up but the fact that they were at the same place at the same time, that's progress!"

Leon chuckled sighing as her fingers worked themselves into his hair. "You think they'll get back together once this is all over?"

"I don't know," she said softly. "I sure as hell wouldn't take him back."

"Yeah, you know, dumping a person for no reason, that really sucks," he commented, hinting at the fact that Michaela almost the exact thing to him just a few years before.

Michaela rolled her eyes; he was not going to let her live that one down. "_I _had a good reason. _He_ did not."

"Whatever you say, Princess."

Michaela smiled, leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her cheek to his back. "If I hadn't done it we wouldn't be here right now. I think it's the best mistake I ever made."

He chuckled, lifting his head to kiss her hand. "You're sort of right."

"Pssh," she scoffed, squeezing him tighter. "I'm _always_ right."

* * *

Alex felt the bed shift as he moved to get out of it. Groaning slightly, she opened her eyes to check the clock. It was almost 4 in the morning. "V?"

He looked back at her, his bare torso illuminated by the moonlight slipping in from the curtains. "Go back to sleep, Tiny," he whispered, reaching out a hand to gently caress her face

She rubbed at her eyes, now fully awake and worried. "Be safe, big guy," she said, propping herself up on an elbow as she watched him get dressed.

After pulling on a black shirt, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Always," he said, though the guilty look in his eyes did nothing to assure her. "Go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"You're coming back here?" she questioned, a little surprised. She would've thought he'd stay at home after whatever it was he was doing. It would probably be easier that way.

He nodded. He couldn't think of a place he wanted to be more. "If that's all right with you."

"Yeah, of course," she said on a yawn. "I'd love that."

"Good." He caught her lips with his own once more before disappearing out the door.

Alex turned over and tried to go back to sleep. She found she couldn't. No amount of counting sheep would distract her from the fact that her boyfriend was doing something dangerous. She gave up after an hour and stared at the ceiling. Different ideas of what he could be doing flashed through her head, each more dangerous than the one before it.

She heard his car pull up in front of the house and let out a sigh of relief. He was home, he was safe. It took all of her self-restraint not to fly down the stairs to greet him with a big hug.

Vince sighed as he opened the door to his car and made his way up the walk. The heist had gone over smoothly, but it still wore on his nerves. He tried to steady his hands as he pulled out his keys and put the right one in the lock. The house was still dead silent and dark as hell. He tried to walk quietly to her room, but his heavy boots clunked no matter how lightly he stepped.

When he finally opened the bedroom door, he stepped in quietly. Her back was to him so he guessed she was asleep. As silently as he could, he stripped off his clothes until he was just in his boxers and a wife beater. He kept the shirt on since he knew he'd have a few bruises and he didn't want her to see them. When he looked back at the bed, he was met with her green eyes. "Did I wake you?" he asked, getting into the bed and turning on his side.

"No," she whispered, scooting in closer to him. "I was already awake."

He laid his palm on her cheek, his thumb stroking over the slowly fading bruise that was there. "Why?"

"Worryin' about you," she answered, her voice sleepy.

Vince sighed, moving so that he was flat on his back. She cuddled closer, resting her head on his chest. The rapid beat of his heart made her nervous, but she didn't comment on it. His hand gently stroked her hair as he tried to calm down. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked, trying to keep her eyes open. Now that she knew he was safe, it was getting hard to stay awake.

_Everything_, he answered in his head. He hated worrying her, hated lying to her, and hated having to leave her in the middle of the night. "Keepin' you up, I guess."

"Don't worry about it, big guy," she said softly, her hand trailing over his stomach. The bruises she had found there only days earlier were still clear in her mind, though they had faded significantly. "Did you get hurt tonight?"

"No," he lied. The trucker had gotten him good with a steel bat, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

Her hand slid down the front of his the beater before she lifted it. The big red welts were fairly visible despite the darkness of the room. She gasped a little, shocked at the size of some of them. "Liar," she said, lifting her head to look up at him. "Want ice?"

He shook his head. "Nah, stay in bed, Tiny," he tried, but she was already out of it. She came back a few minutes later with two bags of frozen vegetables.

Alex sat down on the bed next to him, gently pushing up his shirt. She couldn't keep him from getting hurt, but she could sure as hell take care of him when he was. He gave her a reluctant look. "Tiny, you don't have to…"

She gave him a soft smile before leaning forward to catch his lips in a soft kiss. "Just shut up and let me take care of you."

* * *

So did you like it? or was it complete trash? Should I redo it?

Let me know in a review!

~Love Ink


	20. Girl Talk

I'm glad you guys like the last chapter! Thanks so much to **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx **(I'm glad I can provide a distraction from work :] )**, lover of many things804, **and **tfatfreak207. **Your reviews are awesome and they make me so happy! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 20: Girl Talk_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex walked into the dance studio the next day thoroughly exhausted. She dropped into the chair behind the desk, crossing her arms on the hard surface and setting her head atop them. She dozed off for two minutes before the slamming of a door jolted her awake. "Good morning Sunshine," Michaela sang, dropping a bag of doughnuts on the desk. "Hungry?"

She lifted her head off her arms and grabbed the grease stained bag. "Mmm," she said looking at her selection before grabbing a sugar one. "Thanks," she murmured around a mouthful of the sweet treat.

"You look like hell," Michaela commented, sitting down on the other chair and setting down a tray with coffee cups onto the desk. She pushed one towards Alex who took it enthusiastically, muttering a thanks before taking a big gulp. Michaela watcher her, slightly amused and curious as to why Alex was so tired. "You sleep at all last night?"

"Yeah. Some."

"Lee says you cry yourself to sleep," she stated softly.

Alex rolled her eyes. "I do _not_ cry myself to sleep."

"That's just what he said."

"He's full of shit," she mumbled grumpily. She was tired and cranky and not up to dealing with stupid Leon and his dumb lies. "What else does he say about me?"

"Oh just that you're still in love with my brother and that you'd probably give him another chance if he ever came crawling back to you," Michaela said flippantly.

Alex sighed. "Can you guys mind your own business for once?"

"Well aren't you cranky?" she teased, grabbing a donut for herself. "What happened to my little ray of sunshine from yesterday? Did the drugs wear off?"

"No! I don't do drugs!"

Michaela smiled; sometimes it was fun to annoy Alex. "So I hear you're coming to Race Wars with us this weekend?"

"I don't know. I guess. Mia invited me," Alex mumbled indecisively.

"Are you going to be okay with my brother there and all?"

She shrugged in response. "Sure, I guess."

"I heard you saw him at the shop yesterday," Michaela baited, trying to see what reaction she'd get from Alex.

She didn't get much of one. The other girl just shrugged again and yawned. "Yeah, he was just stocking things. We didn't talk or anything. Plus, I realized that if I want to see you and Lee and Mia, I'm going to have to see him once in awhile too."

Michaela grinned, happy that her friend seemed to be moving on. "Yes! I'm so excited to have someone who knows less about cars than me there!"

"Why?"

"Because then, they'll make fun of you instead," Michaela chirped.

Alex stuck her tongue out at her friend. "Maybe I know more than I let on."

"Uh-huh. Want to explain to me what a spark plug does?"

"It makes sparks," Alex ventured a guess.

Michaela laughed as though her answer was the funniest thing in the world. "You're killing me smalls! Don't let Lee hear you say that!"

"You suck," she back at her before setting her head back on her crossed arms. "I'm tired."

"I didn't call your sub off yet," Michaela hinted a small smile on her face. "Go ahead, take off again. Take a nap."

Alex looked at her suspiciously. "Why haven't you called off my sub yet?"

She shrugged in response. "She's eighteen. She's having a good time and she has yet to complain. I see her cracking in, oh, three days. I have her subbing my classes today, too."

"Why? What are your plans?"

"Absolutely nothing," Michaela said with a grin. "Hence the doughnuts."

Alex smiled. "Beach?"

"Oh hell yeah. I need to get my tan on before Race Wars."

Michaela and Alex lounged on the beach, enjoying the sunny weather. A few hours later, Mia arrived, a big smile on her face. She lay out her towel between the girls and sat down, waiting for someone to ask her how her date went.

The other girls looked at each other; they knew what she wanted, but neither of them wanted to give in first. Michaela pretended to be incredibly immersed in her magazine while Alex pretended to be asleep. Mia cleared her throat to catch their attention. "How was your guys' night?" she asked.

"Alex stayed up all night," Michaela stated, flipping the page of a magazine. "Lee says she cries herself to sleep."

Alex scowled at her, propping herself up on her elbow to glare at Michaela. "Would you stop saying that? I was not crying myself to sleep!"

Mia fought the urge to smile, she knew exactly what Alex was doing staying up half the night. She had noticed the absence of Vince's car in the driveway that morning; she knew where he was. "What did _you_ do, Mickey?"

"Leon," she answered with a smirk.

Alex made a gagging sound, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "I did _not _need to hear that."

"Oh please, you can_not_ talk, little Miss Nutella. Did you hear about that night, Mia? I don't know what you two were doing, but…" she watched as Alex's face fell briefly. She mentally smacked herself. Vince was still a sensitive spot for her and bringing up old memories was obviously not the best idea she ever had. "Nevermind."

"Nah, it's all right," Alex said on a sigh. She was impressed with herself, usually Michaela called her out on her horrible acting skills. It seemed she had bought it this time. "How was the garage today, Mi?"

Mia frowned, that was not the question she'd been fishing for. "Fine. I put the decals on Brian's car today."

"What color did they end up painting it? I heard Jess wanted green," Alex asked. Michaela rolled her eyes, leave to Alex to be concerned with the car color rather than the engine or the model.

"They painted it this metallic orange color. I think my brother picked it out."

"Cool," Alex commented, nodding her head up and down.

"Yeah, he and Dom were talking about it over a beer before I left," Mia explained.

"Are they in love or something?" Michaela asked, pushing her sunglasses onto her head as she looked at Mia. "I mean they spend a _lot_ of time together."

Alex laughed as Mia glared at her. "No," Mia said, her lips pressing together, a clear sign she was irritated. "He definitely doesn't swing that way."

"How do you know?" Alex asked, playing devil's advocate. "Maybe he's super into bald heads."

"They had sex," Michaela stated confidently. "That's how she knows. Right?"

Mia grinned widely. "We may have had some fun."

"Please. You didn't come home last night," she shot back, rolling her eyes. "Don't think I didn't notice."

"How was the dinner, Mi?" Alex asked, effectively changing the subject. She remembered Mia describing her ideal date and wondered if Brian had come anywhere near it. "Did you talk about your deepest, darkest secrets and then did he kiss you under the stars at your beach?"

Mia nodded enthusiastically. "That's pretty much how it went."

"Yeah, and then you fucked him. So romantic," Michaela added, laughing as Mia scowled at her. "What about you, Lex?"

Alex raised her eyebrows. "What about me?"

"When are you going to find a new bed buddy?"

Mia fought the urge to smile; Alex didn't need a new bed buddy. "Leave her alone, Michaela. Break ups suck."

"What about at Race Wars? We can find her a new dude there. Or if you're just looking for some fun you can always go home with Santi. He was pretty good in the sack…not as good as Lee, but…"

"Stop talking," Alex said, wrinkling her nose at her friend. "I can find my own man, thank you very much."

* * *

What'd you think? Sorry there were no boys in this one...I thought it'd be fun to show the relationships between the girls a little. I didn't include Letty because I figured if Mia isn't at the store, Let is. Should I have included her? Now I'm starting to feel kind of bad... :\

Tell me what you think! :)

~Love Ink


	21. Phone Calls and Pillows

Thought I would post a new one before I got into hiding at the library. I have a HUGE midterm next week so I'll be holed up in the library for a while. Wish me luck! (I'm going to need it! Science is hard!)

Many, many, many thanks for the lovely reviews I got from **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **Lola427** (I'm glad you caught the reference. :) I love the Sandlot!), **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**, **MistressxCandelightsxChaos **(This chapter is two pages longer! :]), and **tfatfreak207**! You guys are awesome! :D

Let me know what you think of this chapter...

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 20: Phone Calls and Pillows_

**By: LoveInk**

That night, Vince walked into Alex's house completely exhausted. He threw himself onto her couch and closed his eyes. The day at the garage had been hell. Not only had Dominic bitched about Mia inviting Alex to Race Wars, but the buster had come in to work on that piece of shit he called a car. As soon as he walked in, everyone dropped what they were doing to go help. Not him, though, he stayed fixing the Subaru he was working on. He didn't want anything to do with that ugly orange car.

He had just sat down when he heard Alex's loud scream of pain. "Ow! Stop!"

Jumping off the couch, he bolted to her bedroom, scared that the Trans had finally found out where she lived and come to get her. Instead, he found her sitting on her bed in front of Mia while the other girl curled her hair. "Sorry! Sorry!" she exclaimed slapping Alex's hand away as she tried to touch her ear.

"You burned me!" Alex whined, wincing in pain.

"What the hell?" Vince asked, panting slightly from his sprint.

Mia smiled at the look of relief that washed over Vince's face. He'd obviously been concerned about Alex when he heard her scream. "I'm curling her hair and she's being a baby about it."

"She burned me!" she exclaimed, ringlets bouncing as she moved her head out of Mia's grasp.

Vince snickered. "You look like Shirley Temple," he teased.

"Oh hell no," Alex said, getting off the bed and running to her mirror. Half of her head was curled in tight ringlets instead of the loose waves Mia had promised her. "Mia! Why?"

Mia glared at Vince before getting off the bed and heading towards Alex, curling iron in hand. "They'll calm down by tomorrow. Relax."

Vince whistled the tune to the classic Shirley Temple song, "Animal Crackers" as he walked away. Grinning when he heard Alex growl, "I'm gonna kill you Mia!"

"Just let me finish it!" Mia defended.

He shook his head at the girls, heading towards the kitchen. He started making himself a sandwich when he saw Alex's phone vibrating on the counter. Curious, he picked it up to see who it was. A sense of dread filled him when he read the name on the caller i.d. "Eddie," he mumbled to himself. What was that punk doing calling her? He pressed the answer key before he could stop himself. "Yeah?"

"Alex?" a smooth voice came over the end.

"No. Do I sound like Alex to you?"

"No. You must be her new boy toy."

"You sound jealous, Freddie," Vince stated getting his name wrong on purpose.

"It's Eddie," he corrected sounding annoyed.

Vince smirked. "Whatever. What are you doing calling her?"

He snickered in response. "Oh, she didn't tell you we've been talking?"

Vince blanched. No, she hadn't mentioned that. Though she had gotten that phone call the other day in the store, and she had left very quickly to answer it. Could it have been Eddie? "She may have mentioned it," he lied smoothly. "I didn't really care."

"Bet you care now," Eddie teased. "I'm sorry I've never met you. Ronnie says you're…delightful. Though totally not her type. Bad boy, huh? She's probably using you to get attention from her father."

"I doubt that," Vince said on a chuckle. He had met Alex's dad once when he came to do some business in Los Angeles, and they had hit it off instantly.

"You know you're just a phase, Vince," he stated confidently. "She's better than you and once she finally realizes that, it'll be over. She'll be back to me in a heartbeat."

Vince chuckled, though the thought had occurred to him before, he wasn't going to give Eddie that satisfaction. "Is that so? Want to tell me why she chose to stay here then?"

"I told you. A phase. Nothing more," Eddie answered flippantly. "Now, can I please speak with her?"

"No," he returned before hanging up the phone. He stared at the small piece of plastic in his hand as he replayed the conversation in his head. What if Eddie was right? What if this was just a phase to her? Maybe that's why she was talking to Eddie behind his back; she wanted Eddie to be around once she was done with him.

Shaking his head, he headed off to her room, her phone still in his hand. It buzzed again and Eddie's name came on the caller i.d.. "Hey Alex," he said, catching her attention. "Phone."

Alex studied his face briefly while she took the phone from him. He rarely called her by her real name, choosing to use it only when something was wrong or he was mad. She glanced down at the vibrating phone and saw the name. _Oh, _this_ is why he's mad_, she thought to herself. Sighing, she pressed the answer button before hitting the hang up button. Something she'd been doing a lot with Eddie's phone calls lately. She was just so sick of hearing his bullshit.

Mia looked between Alex and Vince curiously, watching Vince's eyes follow her every movement. She could tell Vince was pissed by the way his shoulders were tensed, arms crossed over his chest. The phone vibrated again and Vince nodded to it. "Go ahead, answer it," he urged.

Alex knew he was challenging her, could tell by the way his blue eyes were staring her down. "I don't want to."

"I think you should."

"I think I'm gonna go," Mia said, unplugging the curling iron and grabbing her bag before practically running out the door.

Vince and Alex didn't pay her any notice. "Why should I?"

"Because apparently you two have been talking a lot."

She narrowed her eyes at him. It wasn't true, but she was curious as to how he'd gotten the idea. "Who told you that?"

"He did."

"You answered my phone!" she accused, her eyes wide in disbelief.

He nodded, shrugging a shoulder as though it was no big deal. "Yeah, and he said you've been talking."

"That's a complete invasion of my privacy, Vince!" she shouted at him, standing up from the bed. She was angry now. How dare he! She'd done nothing wrong. Nothing that should make him distrust her enough to answer her phone! "What the hell were you thinking? I don't answer _your_ phone!"

"That's not the point."

She nodded exaggeratedly. "Oh yes it is! Whether I talk to him or not is _my_ business not yours!" she yelled at him.

"So you were talking to him?"

"No!" she shouted. "I wasn't. It doesn't matter anyway! I have known Eddie and Ron for a very long time. If I want to talk to them, I'm going to talk to them!"

"I don't have a problem with Ron, Alex," Vince said, trying to keep from getting angrier. "You know who I have a problem with."

"Eddie? Really?" she exclaimed, going to run her hands through her hair. Her fingers got caught on the curls and she had to tug them out. If he wasn't so mad at her, he would've laughed.

Vince nodded. "Yeah, really. Why shouldn't I?"

"Um, I don't know, because you trust me, maybe?" Alex shot back, more frustrated than angry. "Vince, it's over between me and Ed. I told you already."

"Then why are you still talking to him!"

"I'm not!"

"Why is he calling your phone then?"

"Because he wants to talk to me!" She wanted to hit him then, smack some sense into him. This whole fight was just going in circles. There was no way it could end well. "I'm not cheating on you, Vince. I wouldn't do that! I'm not that type of girl!"

"You are! You cheated on Eddie with me! Or do you not remember?"

Alex gasped and he instantly regretted saying it. Her eyes narrowed angrily. "Are you serious?"

He nodded, though he had a feeling this was not going to turn out well for him. "Isn't it true?"

"Screw you, Vince!" she shouted, her curls bouncing up and down as she moved to push him out of the room. "The _only_ reason I cheated on _Eddie_ with _you_ was because I had feelings for you from the moment I saw you! And yes, I was wrong, I shouldn't have kissed you, but it was an accident! And _I_ didn't even initiate it, _you_ did! So it was your fault, you stupid head!"

"You think _he _won't initiate something?" Vince shouted. Couldn't she see? "Calling you is the initiation, Alex!"

She squeezed her eyes shut, her fists clenching angrily. "Get out of here," she said her voice deathly calm. It was then he understood just how angry she was with him. She'd never kicked him out before, usually the found a way to sort it out. This time, she wasn't even willing to do that. "Just get out."

He had a feeling if he left, he would risk losing her, and that was not a risk he was willing to take. Not again. "No."

"I said leave!" she shouted, grabbing her pillow and throwing it at him.

He winced, more because of the sentiment behind the pillow then because it hurt him. "A pillow? Really?"

She picked up another one and hit him with it. "Get out!" He took the beating, trying his best not to smile. She looked so cute with her curls bouncing up and down as she hit him with the pillow. Finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore and he laughed. "Are you laughing at me?" she asked, pulling away, her brows wrinkled in confusion.

"No," he said, trying to make his face serious. It didn't last long, and he laughed as she hit him again.

"I can't believe you're laughing right now!" she shouting, hitting him once again. "I'm mad at you, stupid!"

He leant forward, catching her chin in his hand and pressing a kiss to her lips. She let him kiss her for all of ten seconds before she hit him with the pillow again. "Nuh-uh, you can't just kiss your way out of this one, Vincent Cash!"

He grabbed her hips, pulling her in for another kiss and was met with a pillow to the face. "C'mon, Tiny."

"No! I am mad at you!" she shouted, a small smile tugging at her lips before she got serious. This was a big issue, not once he could just kiss away. "You answered my phone, Vincent! That's not right. Would you want me to answer your phone when Dom called?"

He frowned. "No," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"You'd be pissed," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why'd you do it?"

He sighed, shrugging a shoulder. "I don't know." The look on her face told him she didn't buy it. Her green eyes studied him, knowing there was a better explanation. And there was. He knew exactly why he picked up the phone; he saw the name and freaked out a little. He didn't like the idea that Eddie was waiting in the wings to swoop in whenever possible.

Alex fought the urge to roll her eyes when she saw the insecurity in his, she understood now. She could only imagine what Eddie had said to him. Sighing, she dropped the pillow before looping her fingers through his belt loops, pulling him closer. "Big guy, I could be in Europe right now with my best friends, but I'm not. I'm here with you. What does that tell you?"

"That I'm an asshole," he muttered, running a hand over his hair, spiking it up more than before. He tugged on one of her curls, grinning when it bounced out of his hand. "I shouldn't have done it."

She smiled and nodded. "Are you going to do it again?"

"No, ma'am," he said, a smirk turning up the corner of his mouth. "Is he going to call again?"

Alex grimaced before sighing. She pulled the vibrating phone from her pocket and showed it to him. "Yes. Again and again until I answer and if I don't, he takes Ronnie's phone and calls me from there."

"Can I answer it one more time? Please?"

She pressed the phone into his hand. "Only because you asked so nicely…and I'm curious."

Vince grinned wolfishly as he answered the phone. "She's not interested. Call again and I'll knock every one of your teeth out. We'll see how good you can sing then. Have a nice night."

* * *

You like? Just killin' some time before the heists since about two days took place between Mia's date and Race Wars... ;)

Let me know what you think!

~LoveInk


	22. What's Stopping You?

YAY! **100** reviews! You guys are **amazing**! :D

Many, many thanks to: **xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx**, **.., Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**, and **tfatfreak207**! Your reviews make my day so much better!

This chapter was really fun to write. Let me know if its fun to read too! ;)

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

**Disclaimer Part II: **I don't own Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." It is an amazing song though... :)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 22: What's Stopping You?_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince heard her come in and opened his eyes, squinting at the clock. 10 am. He felt the bed shift with her weight as she got back into it, water droplets falling on his chest as she moved to get comfortable. He held out his arm to her, letting her snuggling in closer to him before he wrapped the arm around her waist, playing with the strap of her lacy underwear. She draped one leg over his waist, her cold foot pressing against his thigh. "You're cold," he mumbled against her wet hair. He pulled the sheets up higher around them. "How was the surf?"

"Decent," she said on a happy sigh.

"Did you hang ten?" he asked.

She laughed, rolling her eyes at him. Vince trying to use surf lingo was like her trying to use mechanic lingo. "Nah, I don't have the right board for it."

"You excited for Race Wars tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah. Totally," she said sarcastically. "Michaela already warned me that I'll be made fun of."

Vince smiled and nodded. "It'll be fun." She rolled her eyes at him, muttering something sarcastic under her breath that he didn't catch. "What happened to your Shirley Temple curls, Tiny?"

"Oops. I guess my hair got wet and they disappeared," she said feigning innocence as she got out of bed and headed to her dresser to look for clothes. "Bummer."

He chuckled, watching as she let her hair down from the bun it was in, the long tresses falling down her bare back. He swallowed hard, trying to keep a hold of himself when all he wanted to do was grab her and toss her back into bed. "Why'd you let Mia do that anyway?" he got up and pulled on his jeans.

Alex sighed and shrugged, pulling on a pair of black dance shorts she found on the floor. "We were bored and she wanted to convince me to do it for Race Wars. Said it would look sexy."

"I think you look sexy right now," he said, stepping behind her and setting his hands on her round hips.

"You didn't like the curls?" she asked, turning to face him. "You seemed to be having a lot of fun with them last night."

He shrugged a shoulder. He had like the way they sprung back into place every time he pulled on them. "They were fun, but I like this better. My hands don't get caught this way," he said, running his hands through her hair to emphasize his point.

Vince leant down, his mouth slanted over hers as he pushed her up against her bureau. His hands slid up her back, fiddling with her bra hooks briefly. Her phone rang, bright and cheery in the room. "Vince," she said breathlessly as his lips trailed down her neck. "Vince, I have to get that."

"No you don't," he muttered into her neck, his teeth lightly scraping against her soft skin.

"Yeah, baby its Lee," she said tangling her hands into his hair to pull him away. "If I don't answer, he'll be suspicious."

He gave her a confused look. "You don't know that."

"Bet you ten bucks," she said, knowing that appealing to his competitive side would make him give in faster.

The urge to tell her no and go back to what they were doing was strong, but he couldn't say no to her bet; it was too easy to win. Grunting, he stepped away from her and picked up the ringing phone from his bedside. He frowned when he saw she was right. "How could you…"

"That ringtone is his," she said with a wide green.

"You little cheater!" he said, handing her the phone.

"What, you're not going to answer it?" she teased, letting him know he was forgiven for the night before, but it hadn't been forgotten.

"Ha ha," he said sarcastically. "What's he want?"

"Dunno. I haven't answered it yet," she said shrugging as she took it from his hand. "Hey Lee. How goes it?"

"Dom just left with Brian, Mickey's busy somewhere else, and I'm bored," he said and she could hear metal clanking against metal. "Come talk to me. It's been awhile."

Alex followed Vince out to the dining room as she thought over his offer. It was true; she hadn't talked to Leon in a long time. Not that they had much to catch up on or anything, but she missed talking to him. "Is Vince there?" she asked. Vince raised his eyebrow in question from where he was getting cereal in the kitchen. He set out two bowls for them and shook some cereal into each one.

"Nah. He probably should be, but he's not. Dom gives him a get out of work free card because he always starts shit with Brian."

She laughed, rolling her eyes at the thought. "Mmkay. Let me change and I'll be right over there. Bye!"

"You know I'm right here, right?" he asked, pushing one of the bowls to her while he leant against the counter and dug into his own.

She nodded, picking up the dry cereal and sticking some into her mouth with her fingers. "Yeah, but he wants me to go to the garage," she explained around her the cereal. "It'd be weird if I didn't ask since we aren't technically together."

Vince nodded though he hadn't been paying much attention to what she was saying. He was too focused on the way she was licking the sugar off her fingers. He looked down back at his bowl to regain focus. "I don't think you should go if Dom's there. Especially if I can't be there to protect you."

"Protect me from what? What can he do?" Alex questioned.

He sighed and shrugged. "I don't know what Dom would do anymore," he mumbled, a hint of resentment in his voice.

Alex frowned, but didn't push it. "Well, he's not there. Went somewhere with his new boyfriend or something."

Vince laughed at that. He knew exactly who she was referring to. "He say anything about me not being there?"

"Just that you have a get out of work free card because you start shit with Brian all the time."

"He's a fuckin' punk."

"Be nice." She stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to his jaw before skipping back to her room to get dressed in something more appropriate than dance shorts and her bra.

When she reappeared she was wearing a neon blue mesh tank top over a little black bandeau bra with a pair of black biker shorts. Her wet hair was braided into two loose pigtails, her side swept bangs hanging in her face as she leant over to pull on a pair of mismatched socks.

Vince had to clench his jaw to keep it from dropping. She looked gorgeous. When she noticed him staring she blushed. "What? Do I look bad?"

He shook his head slowly. "No. You look hot as hell. I'm thinking about taking you to the room caveman style."

"What's stopping you?"

He was on her in seconds, stooping down to grab her behind the knees and lift her up. Giggling, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he pressed her back up against the nearest wall. He claimed her mouth with his own, restarting what had been so rudely interrupted just minutes before. His lips made their way down the column of her neck as her hands tangled into his hair. "You mark me and you're dead, Vincent Cash," she said as he mouthed the neckline of her low cut tank.

Smirking, he scraped his teeth against the soft skin gently, satisfied with the small moan she let out in response. Her phone rang again. "Ignore it," he growled.

"He's going to get suspicious," she managed to say.

He groaned, burying his face into her neck. "Fuckin' Lee," he murmured against the skin there. Slowly, he helped her to her feet. "He ruins everything."

Alex giggled, standing on her toes to catch his lips in another kiss. "I know," she said, grinning at him. "But that's what big brother's are for, right?"

Vince raised an eyebrow. "You know you're not really related, right? You're also the same age, if I'm not mistaken."

She rolled her eyes at him, ignoring his comment as she bent to slip on electric blue Converses that matched her top. "I'll see you later," she said skipping out the door.

He shook his head at her, putting his cereal bowl in the sink before heading back to her bathroom for a shower. It was going to have to be a cold one too if he was going to cool down after what she put him through.

After his shower, he pulled open his drawer with a small smile on his face. His drawer. He'd been a little taken aback when she'd offered it to him. It was a big step in their relationship, but she'd treated it like it was nothing, explaining that it was more convenient for him that way. And it was. He didn't have to worry about bringing a change of clothes in his trunk or his sister catching him in yesterday's clothes; he could just change.

Getting into the Maxima, he found himself driving to the garage automatically. For some reason he couldn't just let her be. He wanted to be with her, hear her laugh, watch her eyes dance as she spoke. Plus, he knew Dom would be back eventually and he hated the thought of not being there to stand up for her if his friend decided to be an ass.

He could hear the loud bass from the parking lot. It was clear Alex and Leon were alone because Dom would not have approved the volume of the music or any music at all. He recognized the beat to the classic 90's song as he got closer and raised an eyebrow; who still listened to that crap?

When he turned the corner, he fought the urge to laugh. Leon was working under the hood of the his own car, his arms covered in streaks of grease while Alex was bouncing up and down in the front seat as she sang along with the intro, "_Ice, ice, baby_," she said, pounding her palm on the steering wheel in time to the beat.

Leon popped his head out of the engine and grinned at her. "_All right, stop. Collaborate and listen_!" he rapped, his arms waving to the side as he continued the lines.

After a few lines, he pointed to her, and to Vince's utter disbelief, she picked the rap up easily, going through the next few lines like they were nothing, bobbing her head to the beat.

They traded off every two or three lines, never missing a beat or flubbing a line. Towards the end of the song, Alex jumped out of the car and starting dancing just like they did in the video. Leon joined in, doing the dance surprisingly well. The song finished and they exchanged high-fives, laughing with each other as they went back to what they'd been doing before the song. Alex skipped over and took her seat in the driver's side again, kicking her feet up onto the dash. They started talking casually, reminiscing about where they were when they first saw the classic Vanilla Ice video.

Vince started up a slow clap, catching their attention. "The 90s called, Lee, they want their moves back," he mocked, nodding a greeting to Alex as he made his way to the car he was supposed to be working on.

She gave him a short wave back, a small blush rising to her cheeks. She knew he was going to ask about it later. Leon rolled his eyes at Vince, flipping him off in response. "_Esta celoso porque cuando el baila, parece un mono_," he muttered in Spanish to Alex. (He's jealous because when he dances, he looks like a monkey.)

Alex tried to stifle her laughter, but she couldn't. She laughed loudly, looking at Vince. He raised an eyebrow. "What did you say about me, Donati?"

"Nothing," Leon said with a shrug of his shoulder. "_Cabron_." (Asshole.)

"Be nice," she chastised, rolling her eyes at him.

"_Quieres irnos? No sabía que iba a venir._" (Want to go? I didn't know he was going to come.)

She shook her head. "_'sta bien, _Lee. _Tengo que estar con el aveces. __No me importa mas."_ (It's fine. I have to be with him sometimes. It doesn't bother me anymore.)

He raised an eyebrow, something was off. Her eyes hadn't gotten that sad puppy look they usual got when she saw Vince_."No me digas que estas con el otra vez_." (Don't tell me you're with him again.)

"_Bueno, no te digo_," she replied easily. (Fine, I won't tell you).

Leon gasped, pointing a dirty finger at her. "You whore!"

Vince's head popped out of the engine he was working on, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Leon. Alex discreetly waved him off. "_Juuuust_ kidding," she said, giggling at the mix of shock and disgust on Leon's face. "You should see your face, Lee. Priceless."

He rolled his eyes at her and went back to work. "Get your shoes off my dash," he ordered, sending her a glare.

She didn't pay him any attention. "_Seria tan malo si nos reunimos?_" she asked, curiously. (Would it be that bad if we got back together?)

He shook his head. "Nah. I just don't want to see you hurt again."

"Huh," she said, brushing off the comment easily. She stood from her seat and walked around to stand next to him. "So this Car Wars thingy…will you be racing?"

Leon snorted, rolling his eyes at her. "Race Wars? Yeah, I'll be racing. Why do you think I'm messing with her?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Her? Who her?"

"The car, Lex, the car!" he explained, his tone frustrated as he pointed to the Skyline in front of him. "I'm makin' sure everything is in working condition. I haven't raced her in a while."

She peered at the engine, an eyebrow raised. "Why is it a girl?"

"Because I don't like riding boys," Leon shot back.

"Does Michaela know you're riding another girl?" Alex teased, fighting the urge to laugh when Vince's head popped up from the hood of his car again.

He rolled his eyes at her. "What do you call your car then?"

"It's an 'it' because it's an object. All cars are objects, duh, Lee."

Leon looked mildly offended and gently stroked the side of his car. "She doesn't mean it, baby. Lex is just dumb."

Alex scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're dumb."

He peered over at her, his eyes falling on the red mark on his chest. "What's that?"

She looked down to see the bright red mark Vince had left behind. Rubbing her hand over it, she tried to think of an explanation. "Umm I forgot to wear my rash guard when I went surfing this morning and so I got a rash. Because the rash guard protects against board rash and you know, I wasn't wearing one," she lied easily. True, she would get rashes from the sand stuck to the board if she didn't wear the guard, but she never got them on her chest. Usually, she got them on her stomach and they hurt like a bitch.

Leon wasn't buying it; he knew what a bite mark looked like. "Uh-huh. Isn't a little cold not to be wearing a rash guard?"

"No," she lied. "It's perfectly warm outside."

"At 6AM?"

She nodded. "Uh, yeah."

He raised an eyebrow at her before waving Jesse over. The kid had just walked into the garage and was on his way to his office. "Jesse, you've surfed. Is that a surf rash?"

While Leon looked at Jesse, Alex nodded exaggeratedly behind his back, hoping Jesse would play along. The blonde kid watched her, his eyes curious, but he shrugged. "Sure, I guess," he answered before heading back to his little office.

Alex mouthed a thank you to her friend before Leon turned to her, still eyeing the mark suspiciously. "See? Told you."

Leon just grunted in response before leaning down to adjust something in the engine. Alex raised her eyebrows as she watched him. "What's that?" she asked pointing at a random part.

"That's where the dipstick is, dipstick," he muttered in response.

"Huh," she said as if she was interested. She knew she was annoying him and took pleasure in it. "What about this?"

"Intercooler," he answered without lifting his head.

"And this?"

He took his eyes off the engine and looked at her as if she was the dumbest person alive. "Lex, that's the battery."

"Oh," she drawled, fighting the urge to giggle. Of course, she knew what it was, but she was having fun annoying Leon. "Thought it looked familiar."

He gave her an incredulous look before glancing back to Vince who was trying to keep from laughing. "Are you hearing this?" he asked the scruffy man. Vince didn't say anything in return, he just shook his head. Leon turned back to Alex. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me. The _battery_! Don't you have one in your car?"

"Probably," she said rolling up on her toes as she shrugged.

Vince couldn't help but laugh at that one. She'd often play this game with him when she watched him worked on her jeep. With him, it was to catch his attention and they were usually adequate questions. With Leon, it seemed she just wanted to piss him off. "You're hopeless," he mumbled loud enough for her to hear.

She turned and stuck her tongue out at him. He made a face back at her. Leon watched the whole exchange suspiciously. They were both in unusually good moods. He watched as her eyes followed Vince as he made his way to the storage closet. "Lex, why don't you go make yourself useful and grab me something out of the storage closet?" At her glare, he grinned and added, "Please."

"Sure," she said, skipping back to the closet.

Once she was gone he shook his head at her and went back to the car. Could she be more obvious? She'd left before he could even tell her what to get him. "Stupid," he muttered to himself.

Alex headed into the storage closet, trying to be as quiet as possible. She leant against the doorjamb just eyeing Vince. His arms were streaked with grease, his caramel skin gleaming with sweat. She let out a low whistle, smiling when his eyes fell on her. "Do you know how incredibly sexy you look?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

He looked mildly amused at her statement as he looked down at what he was wearing. "I'm covered in grease and sweaty."

"I like that look," she said, kicking the door closed behind her. "It makes me want to do all sorts of bad things to you."

A sexy smirk turned up the corner of his lips as he echoed her words from earlier that morning, "What's stopping you?"

* * *

So? What'd you think? Like it? Hate it? Let me know in a review! :)

~Love Ink


	23. Marks

I should be writing two term papers, but instead I thought I'd post a chapter... :)

Lots of thanks to: **Violet201, xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, **and **Lola427 **(Alex and Leon are really fun to write! I'm glad you like them!) Ya'll are awesome!

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 23: Marks_

**By: LoveInk**

Leon heard the Supra's engine and shot a quick look back at the storage closet. Alex and Vince had yet to come out of it. He prayed they would before Dom found them in there. The orange car pulled into the bay next to him. Dom nodded to him in greeting before stepping out of the car. "How's she run?" Leon asked, just to make conversation.

"Seems fine to me," Dom replied, closing the door behind him. "What do you think, Spilner?"

Brian shrugged a shoulder. "I think she's ready for Race Wars."

"V here?" Dom asked, his dark eyes searching the shop.

They settled on Alex who had just walked out of the storage close, looking thoroughly accosted. Leon watched as her eyes met Dom's and a brief look of fright passed through them. She quickly walked over to Leon, smoothing her hair down as she went. "Um. Your part wasn't there," she told him, her voice shaking slightly.

"I bet it wasn't," he mumbled in response, positioning himself between her and Dom.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Dom growled at him. He had already been irked when Brian had questioned him about what they were doing "on the side", Alex being there was just icing on the cake.

Alex clenched her jaw and grabbed her purse off the ground. "I was just leaving," she stated. Standing on her toes, she pecked Leon's cheek quickly.

"You fucking him too?" Dom's voice asked.

She gave him the sweetest smile she could muster. "Oh yeah. Jess too. Because I'm the town whore, right? Brian-that's your name, isn't it-want a ride?" she asked, acid dripping from her words.

"Lex," Leon warned, watching as Dom stiffened. The bald man did not like to be mocked.

She didn't heed his warning as her eyes fell back on Dominic, alight with anger. "You're an asshole," she stated, her voice deathly calm. "Listen to the way you talk to me. I bet if someone disrespected Mia or Letty like that, you'd beat the crap out of them."

Dom nodded, his fists clenched at his sides. "So?"

"What gives you the right to disrespect me, when you would never allow someone to disrespect them? A bit hypocritical, don't you think?" she challenged, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She was terrified of the man in front of her, but she would not let it show. When he didn't answer, she shook her head. "Exactly. Karma's a bitch, Dom."

"So are you," he shot back.

Alex blinked back the hurt, refusing to let his snide comment get to her. It was useless to fight fire with fire. "You don't know me," she said with a smile. She brushed past Dom, making sure to hit his arm with her shoulder on the way out. "See you later, Lee."

Vince caught the tail end of their conversation as he left the storage room. Dom's angered gaze fell on him, daring him to say something. He clenched his jaw, resisting the urge. Alex had made him promise not to hit Dominic again, insisting that it wouldn't do him any good; Dominic wasn't going to change and if anything, it would just make things more difficult.

Even Leon was quiet in response. He gently closed the hood of his car before chasing after Alex. He found her sitting in her Jeep, her forehead pressed against the steering wheel. Her knuckles were white where they gripped the wheel. He heard her sniffle delicately and frowned. "Please don't tell me you're crying over that," he said, walking around the car to the passenger's side. He reached over the windowless door and unlocked it before climbing in next to her. "You're not a bitch, Lex."

"I'm not crying," she insisted scowling as she leant back in the seat. Her cheeks were dry, eyes clear; she was telling the truth.

"What are you doing then?"

"Trying to calm the fuck down." Alex held out her hand, showing him how it was still shaking. "I can't drive with my nerves like this. I'll crash into a freakin' tree."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Shorty's got some fire in her," he teased, mussing her hair affectionately.

"Fuck off," she muttered, flipping him off.

"Next time hit him. Just do it. One good slap. I know you want to."

Alex's eyes widened at the mere thought of hitting Dom. "Oh my God _no_!"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not entirely sure he won't hit me back!"

Leon chuckled, his eyes falling back towards the garage where he could hear yelling. "Sounds like someone's defending your honor."

"I _told_ him to stop _doing_ that," she muttered before she could stop herself. She was entirely too comfortable with Leon. It was hard to keep anything from him.

"I _knew_ it!" he shouted in pumping his fist in triumph. He shook his head at her. "_Alex and Vince sittin' in a storage closet F-U-C…_"

"Stop that!" she shouted, cutting off Leon's little song. "No one can know! Not even Mickey! Okay?"

His eyes grew serious as he contemplated what she said. "I'm not going to lie to her, Lex."

"I know," she said on a sigh. She ran her fingers through her hair; she'd royally messed up when she let Leon in on their secret. He wasn't the type to lie to his girlfriend, ever. "But you can't tell her either."

"But if she asks I will."

"She's not going to ask," Alex said, rolling her eyes at him. "Why would she ask?"

Leon rolled his eyes. "Because you two are obvious as hell! I knew it from the second he walked into the freakin' garage, Lex! Surf rash? Really? You are the world's _worst_ liar!"

"It's a real thing!" she defended, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I know, but you can't get it there!"

"Who says?"

"I do!" he stated confidently.

"You're an idiot."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!" he shouted back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vince approaching. "Look, Ole Coyote himself decided to show up! She's all right, you can go back to work now."

Vince ignored him and approached Alex's side. "You all right, Tiny?"

She gave him a smile. "Yep."

"Except for the surf rash, of course," Leon stated, a devilish smirk on his face. "Looks like you got more here," he said pointing to her neck. "Funny, that wasn't there before you went to the storage closet."

"Get out of here, stupid," Alex said, pushing on his shoulder as though to push him out of her car.

With a chuckle, he jumped down from the car and headed back towards the garage. "Be safe, Lex. Careful with the beard—I mean, surf-rash," he teased with a wink.

She stuck her tongue out at him as he left. "Stupid asshole," she muttered under her breath.

"He knows?" Vince asked. At her nod, he sighed and shook his head at her, a grin pulling up the corners of his mouth. "Tiny I thought I told you not to say anything to him."

She glared at him, not at all amused by his teasing smile. This was all his fault. If he hadn't left her with that huge red mark for everyone to see, Leon wouldn't have even been suspicious! "And I thought I told you not to mark me!"

* * *

Okay so Dom's an ass in this one...but next chapter you'll get a little peek into his head and some Dotty ;)

What'd you think? As always reviews are much loved and appreciated!

~Love Ink


	24. Mine

Many thanks to my two fabulous reviewers: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** (haha love the name change! :] ) and **Violet201**! You guys are make me smile with your positive feedback! :D I hope more than two people are reading this though!

This is one of my favorite chapters...so _please_ let me know if you like it! Just a warning, I really suck at writing Dotty. I hope I did a decent enough job! :\

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 24: Mine_

**By: LoveInk**

"_What gives you the right to disrespect me, when you would never allow someone to disrespect them?"_

Her words ran through Dom's head over and over again. When had he sunk so low as to treat a woman like that? His father had taught him better, but there was just something about that woman in particular that made him act like that. He was ashamed of it, but he couldn't help it either. He ran his hands over his head as he tried to banish the frightened look in the girl's eyes from his head.

After a moment he felt a warm hand rub up and down his back. He lifted his head to find dark brown eyes looking back at him. "What's going through that big bald head of yours?" Letty asked, her brow creased in concern.

"Am I an asshole?"

"Sometimes," she answered, smiling softly to take the sting out of her words. "Why?"

"I called her a bitch, Letty," he admitted, hanging his head back down. At her questioning look, he explained. "After going for a ride with Spilner, I came back to the garage and Alex was there with Leon. I was…a little disrespectful. I just…there's something about her that I don't like!"

Letty sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "The reason you don't like her is the same reason Vince doesn't like Brian."

"Why's that?"

"They're both changing your friendship," she replied confidently. "You and Vince are slowly drifting apart and you're both putting the blame for it on other people. But it's not her fault and it's not Brian's fault. It's your fault and his fault."

He nodded, rubbing a hand over his head once again before reaching an arm out to wrap around her waist. Her words made sense. Lately, he and Vince hadn't done much talking. The only interactions they had were Dom's wishing him good luck before a heist and Vince getting angry at him for the way he treated Alex and for bringing Brian around. He couldn't recall the last time they'd really talked like they had in the old days. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple before sighing. "How do you see through all the bullshit, Let?"

"Because I know you both way too well," she said, grabbing his hand and entwining their fingers. "You're not a bad guy, Dominic. You just screw up sometimes."

Dom chuckled, reaching his hand over to caress her cheek. "Thanks, Let."

"Mmm," she said leaning into his caress. "I'm surprised Vince didn't lay into you. From what I heard from Leon, you were a little harsh."

He let out a long breath and nodded slowly. "He wanted to," he admitted quietly. "He had that look on his face, you know?"

Letty nodded. She'd known both boys practically her whole life and had seen both of them fight numerous times. They both had a signature look on their face when they were about to beat the crap out of someone. She'd learned what signs to look for so she could intervene before damage was done. "Wonder what stopped him."

"She did," he murmured.

"She got between you two?"

"No. Instead of hitting me, he walked out to see if she was okay," he explained. A small smile crossed Letty's face lighting up her chocolate eyes. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Sounds like our Coyote is in love," Letty sang, giggling when Dom rolled his eyes and lay back down on the bed with a heavy sigh.

"Don't say me that shit. You're making me feel even worse," he groaned. She chuckled, crawling up on the bed and sliding a leg over his stomach so she was straddling him. He sat up on his elbows and studied her tan face, his callused fingers gently tracing over her cheek. "Do you think she's going to screw us over?"

Letty chuckled and shook her head. "No," she admitted. "She wouldn't do that to Vince. She really loves him, Dom."

"I hope you're right," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips.

She pulled away and studied his face. "Are you going to play nice tomorrow at Race Wars?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Not making any promises," he said honestly, smirking when Letty rolled her eyes in response. His hands settled on her hips. "I might be civil if you can persuade me."

Letty laughed as she slipped her hands under his shirt, letting them trail over the hard muscles she found there. "Oh I'll persuade you," she whispered, catching his lips in a sensual kiss as she pushed him down onto the bed.

* * *

Alex studied Vince as he drove back to her house from the beach. They decided on an impulse to get some take-out Chinese and have a late night picnic on the beach. She'd convinced him to go skinny dipping and now he remained shirtless as he drove. She had to admit she loved the view. His tan skin seemed to glow in the light coming from the dash, showing off his beautiful tattoos. Bending over the center console, she pressed a kiss to the head of the dragon on his arm, grinning up at him when his blue eyes fell on her. "You keep doing that and I'm gonna crash this car."

She giggled and settled back into her seat, slouching down before kicking her bare feet up onto the dash. "What's the dragon for, V?"

"Someone told me dragons were good luck and at the time, I needed all the luck I could get," he explained on a shrug. "What about you? What's the flying music note for?"

"I was fifteen and dumb. I thought it looked cool," she said, her fingers absentmindedly trailing over the beautiful artwork on his arm. "Ronnie convinced me to get it. He was getting his big back piece and it wasn't fair if he got one and I didn't. Asshole."

Vince chuckled, shaking his head at her. "You don't like it?"

"I do, it's just not the most attractive thing ever. It's not a cute butterfly."

He looked her over. She was just wearing a simple black bikini. She hadn't bothered putting shorts on or a top since she figured she'd just change at home. Her bikini bottoms sat low on her hip revealing the tiny music note with wings. "I think it's sexy as hell."

She smiled up at him in response. Her eyes glanced out the window, watching as her exit flew by. "Where are we going?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

He shrugged a shoulder. "You'll see." He grinned as her bottom lip stuck out in a pout; he knew she hated surprises. "You excited for Race Wars?"

"Oh yeah, super excited," she replied sarcastically. "Apparently I'm going to get made fun of all day."

"Well, if you don't know what a car battery looks like, you deserve it," he teased, chuckling when she punched his arm.

"I know what it looks like!" she exclaimed with a smile. "I was just messing with him!"

Vince laughed. "Uh-huh _sure_."

"That's it. I want out," she said, sitting up and reaching for the door handle jokingly.

He rolled his eyes at her. "You're going to open the door in the middle of an unknown street and jump out?"

"Yes," she said decidedly. Vince pressed the automatic door lock on his side; he knew she was bluffing, but it didn't hurt to lock the door just in case. He turned into the empty parking lot. Watching, as she studied her surroundings. "Isn't this the Dodger's stadium?" she asked, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

He chuckled as he nodded. Despite her random choice of favorite basketball teams, he knew she was loyal to only one baseball team. "Forget about the team. Yankees are best anyway."

"That's it. End of relationship," she said, though there was a laugh in her voice that clearly showed she didn't mean it. "The Giants are, hands down, the best."

"Whatever you say, Tiny," Vince replied, rolling his eyes at her. They'd already had a few fights about baseball teams and he did not want to relive them; they never ended in his favor. "Do you want to know why we're here or not?"

Alex sat up as she nodded. "Yes, I would love to know why we are here."

"Remember how you asked me what it felt like to race?"

"Yeah," she said, dragging out the word suspiciously. She's asked him just hours before when they were discussing the races. "You said it was indescribable. Like trying to explain what water tastes like."

He grinned as he nodded. "Right. So are you ready to see for yourself?"

She sat up, her bright green eyes sparkling with excitement. "Really? You're going to do it right now?"

Vince nodded again, happy to see her so excited. "I need some practice before tomorrow."

Alex clapped her hands. "Are you going to go now?"

"Count me down," he said, one hand on the wheel while the other tightly gripped the gear shift.

"Three," she said, grinning as he revved his engine. "Two. ONE!" she shouted, holding on for dear life as he pushed the accelerator. She was thrown back in her seat by the speed. It was truly an exhilarating feeling. It was over just as quickly as it began leaving her breathless.

Vince chuckled at the look on her face. "You like it, Tiny?" he asked, running a shaking hand through his hair; the adrenaline racing through his veins making his heart thunder against his chest.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes," she breathed, trying to catch her breath. "Again?"

"All right," he said, moving his seat back. "C'mere."

Alex raised an eyebrow wondering what he meant. "On your lap?"

"Yeah. Nothin' like being in the driver's seat," he said patting his thigh. She grinned as she scrambled over the center console and onto his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

She placed her bare feet over his booted ones, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. "None of that when I'm driving," she said, her heart doing flip flops as he gave her a naughty smile.

He grabbed one of her hands and led it over to the stick shift. "Ready?"

Alex nodded her head. His breath was hot on her neck as he counted down. With a jolt, they were off and speeding through the parking lot. She used all her concentration to keep the wheel straight while Vince worked the stick.

As the car slowed down to a stop, she felt his beard gently graze her skin as he mouthed the skin of her shoulder before traveling up her neck. Reaching a hand blindly down the side of the seat, she managed to press the right lever to make it recline. As Vince fell backward, she gracefully turned so she was straddling him, her knees on either side of his waist. Leaning forward, she buried her hands into his hair before attacking his lips with a hot, hurried kiss. His hands slid down her back before long fingers curled around the curves of her hips, gently edging down her bikini bottoms.

When they were done, they stayed in the car, both of them breathing hard. Alex was still on top of him, her chest pressed against his, face nuzzled into his neck. "So I'm guessing you liked it," he murmured, his lips against her forehead. The tips of his fingers softly trailed up and down the smooth expanse of her back before he caught the ties of her top in his hands and easily tied it back on.

"Definitely," she breathed, shivering under his touch. "Thank you."

"Mmm," he murmured in answer. "Anytime."

The sound vibrated through her chest and she giggled. "How many girls have you done this with?" she asked curiously.

"Just you."

"Liar," she accused, moving her head so she could see his face. "I'm sure you've accosted many women inside this amazing car."

He shook his head. It was true, he hadn't. The inside of his car was sacred to him; it was rare other girls got to ride in the car, let alone have sex in it. "Other girls wouldn't appreciate this," he admitted with a soft smile. "Not like you."

She knew he was telling the truth and relished in it. "I like that."

"What?"

"Being first for once. You've got so many notches in your bedpost, I'm surprised."

He groaned, rolling his eyes at her. "You make me feel like a walking STD when you talk like that, Tiny."

"Yeah, but you're_ my_ walking STD," she teased.

He chuckled, as he gently trailed a finger down her arm. "I like the sound of that," he admitted. And he did. He loved that she called him hers and he could call her his. The car was comfortably silent for a few brief moments as they both just enjoyed being close to each other. He felt her nose nuzzle his neck gently and smiled. "What?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She pressed a kiss to his neck. "I love you," she murmured against the skin there.

He let the words hang in the silence of the car, loving the way they sounded. His hand gently ghosted up and down her back, making smooth designs as he went. "Marry me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. He hadn't meant to ask her quite like that; he'd wanted to make it romantic and memorable but that moment sitting in his car, with her in his arms, it just felt…right.

Alex froze, had he really just said those words? She was positive her ears were playing tricks on her. There was no way. She sat up and looked at him, green eyes wide. "What?" she breathed.

A small, nervous smile turned up the corners of his lips as he reached out a hand to caress her cheek. "Marry me."

Alex felt her breath catch in her throat. She hadn't been imagining things. He'd really just asked her. Just like that. "Really?" she asked, her voice a little choked.

He nodded, unsure of whether her reaction was good or bad. "Yeah, really."

"You're sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," he replied honestly. His brows furrowed in confusion. "Tiny, is this a good reaction or a bad one?"

"I just…I didn't think you'd ever…"

He smiled at the shocked look that was still on her face. "Still not an answer, Tiny."

"What?" she asked, distractedly. Her mind was still reeling from the shock of him asking her in the first place.

Vince chuckled, pushing a stray hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Usually when someone proposes, you answer them…"

A warm smile slowly spread across her face as she leant over and caught his lips in a kiss. She pulled away from him. "Yes," she whispered, a soft giggle escaping her lips. She leant forward and kissed him again. "Yes, yes, yes!" Between each word, she peppered his face with kisses.

His gruff laughed filled the car as he pulled her in closer, enveloping her in his arms and holding her tightly. "You're going to be my wife," he said, disbelief in his voice.

She sighed happily, her heart beating like crazy. "I know. I'll be Mrs. Catella."

"You'll take my name?"

"Oh hell yes," she said enthusiastically. "I want everyone to know you're mine."

* * *

:)

Like? Hate? Want more? _Review!_

Love Ink


	25. An Offer You Can't Refuse

I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter! I felt like it was necessary to kind of explain where Dom was coming from because I really do love him! :)

I had originally planned on having Vince propose a lot later, but it just felt right to put it there. I'm glad you all liked it! This story is kind of writing itself! :)

Thanks so much to: **Violet201**, **MRzLOT **(I _knew_ you'd like the Dotty!), **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **Sassy-Anne**, **Trickster707, **and **Liz**. You guys all rock my socks! :D

This chapter was super fun to write and I hope it's just as fun to read!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 25: An Offer You Can't Refuse_

**By: LoveInk**

On the way back to her house, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Vince parked haphazardly in the drive and sprinted over to the passenger's side, lifting her out of it effortlessly. Alex hooked her heels together at the small of his back as he crashed his lips against hers. With her safely wrapped around him, he carried her towards the door. Neither of them noticed that it wasn't locked. He kicked the door shut behind them with the heel of his boot before turning around to push her up against it. His hands fumbled with the strap of her bikini and in a matter of seconds her top was off, thrown somewhere in the living room. She moaned as he caught her lower lip in his teeth, one hand tangling into her hair while the other slid up the side of her stomach.

"Holy crap!" a loud voice exclaimed.

Vince stopped what he was doing. He knew that voice. Slowly, he slid Alex to her feet, wrapping an arm around her torso to hold her bare chest close to his so she wouldn't be exposed. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. "This is your house right?" he asked looking down at Alex.

She nodded her eyes wide as she looked up at him. She peeked her head around him to find Michaela standing there, her hands on her hips. "Huh," the other girl said. She raised one eyebrow, a move was so much like Vince, it was scary. "Well this is unexpected."

"She's not here, we should go," Leon's voice came down the hall. He turned the corner and his green eyes grew wide. Vince was shirtless and from the way he was holding Alex as close as possible, it was clear she was too. "Holy shit!"

Alex buried her face in Vince's chest. "This isn't happening, this isn't happening," she mumbled over and over again. She looked up at him. "Vince, where's my top?" she asked, her voice sounding desperate.

"I don't know! I threw it somewhere!"

"Well, I kind of need it!"

"No kidding," Leon put in, shaking his head as he averted his eyes. "Fuck it, take mine," he mumbled, pulling his jersey over his head and tossing it at her.

She grabbed it off of Vince's shoulder where it had landed and pulled it on. Vince didn't look too pleased with the idea of her wearing another man's shirt, but he decided against saying something; Leon was only trying to help. "What are you two doing here?" he asked instead, finally able to turn around.

"Well, I was _going_ to help Lex get ready for Race Wars…" Michaela explained.

Vince looked to Alex for an explanation. Her green eyes were narrowed at Michaela. "I told both you _and_ Mia I didn't _need _your guys' help."

"Well, I decided you did," she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So you just let yourself in?" Vince asked at Michaela's nod, he looked to Leon. "And what the hell are you doing here, Lee?"

Leon sighed. "I was _trying_ to prevent _this_ from happening!"

"You knew!" Michaela shouted, turning on her boyfriend.

His green eyes widened. Oh shit, he'd been caught. "I just found out today!"

"You didn't think it was something I should know?" she yelled at him.

"Fuck, Lex, I _told_ you this would get me in trouble!"

Alex ran a hand through her hair. "Well, you should've stopped her!"

"Oh don't you pin this on me!" he shot back at her.

"I think you're a perfect person to pin it on," Michaela intervened, her voice loud. "Since when do you not tell me things?"

"Would you all just shut up!" Vince roared, making them all shut up. "You two, go home."

Michaela narrowed her eyes at him. "No," she said flippantly. "I want answers."

"You're not gettin' any tonight. Go home."

"Vince, I am your _only_ sister! How could you keep this from me? Would you want me to keep something like this from you?"

Vince snorted. "It's not like you haven't tried."

"Touché," Leon murmured under his breath causing Alex to giggle.

"Don't encourage him," Michaela said, shooting a glare at Leon. He held his hands up in response, showing he wanted no part in the matter. "And _you_! I thought we were friends, Alex Salvatore! I didn't think you would keep something like this from me!"

"I told her not to tell anyone," Vince defended easily. "I don't want Dominic finding out. Mia was bad enough."

Alex winced. That was not a smart move. Michaela's blue eyes blazed with anger. "Vincent Cash Catella, you told _Mia – _fucking -_ Toretto _before you told _me_, your own _sister_!"

"Hold on! I can fix this!" Alex shouted, standing in front of Vince to prevent his sister from getting her hands on him. "I have something special that no one knows about! If I tell you, you are going to be the first person to know and it will royally piss Mia off!"

Leon's green eyes widened in shock. "You're not fuckin' pregnant, are you?"

"Shut up, Lee," Alex admonished, glaring at him before turning to Michaela. "Do you want to know or do you want to kill your brother? You can't have both."

Vince fought the urge to laugh at Alex's offer. She was basically sacrificing him, but if he knew his sister, she would pick the first option. Michaela contemplated the offer briefly. "If you're pregnant it doesn't count because Lee already guessed it."

"No. It's better. And Lee if you even so much as try to guess it right now, I will kill you," Alex stated, cutting him off when she saw his mouth open to say something. "The deal is, I tell you and you can't be mad at Vince."

"Or me," Leon added in.

She gave him a look but nodded. "Or Lee."

Michaela ran a hand through her hair and nodded. "Fine. Go ahead."

"Pinky promise," Vince said extending a pinky at his sister. Leon chuckled, but Vince ignored him. A pinky promise meant a lot more between him and Michaela than it did between most people.

She linked her pinky with his. "Yeah, yeah, pinky promise. What is it?"

Vince and Alex exchanged a warm look. He reached out and put an arm around her shoulder. She gave him a small smile before holding up her left hand.

Michaela's eyes fell on the simple diamond that graced Alex's finger; it had been her mother's. Her breath caught in her throat as tears came to her eyes. "Oh Vince," she breathed, rushing at her brother and throwing her arms around him.

Leon couldn't fight the grin off his face. He made his way over to his sister and swept her up in a bear hug, lifting her off her feet. "Congrats, Short stuff!" he exclaimed, spinning her around.

She giggled squeezing him tightly. "Thank you."

"Get off! Let me see! Let me _see_!" Michaela shouted, slapping at Leon's arms.

He pressed a kiss to Alex's temple before letting her go. While Michaela made Alex go through the details, Leon turned to Vince. "This is a big step for you."

"Yeah," Vince agreed with a nod.

"It's not something you can change your mind about."

"Not planning on it."

"You need to tell her about the heists, Vince."

Vince's face grew serious as he shook his head. "I can't, Lee."

"If you're going to marry her, you have to," Leon explained, keeping his voice quiet. "You have to trust her. Let her in. If she finds out why you didn't tell her, it will tear your relationship to pieces. Forget about marrying her, she's never going to want to _see_ you again."

Vince glanced over at her, giving her a soft smile when he caught her eyes. He couldn't lose her, not for something as dumb as the heists. "But what if she tells her brother-in-law?"

"How can you say that? The girl just agreed to spend the rest of her life with you, you idiot!" Leon hissed at him, his green eyes angered by the mere suggestion. "Why would she throw all that away by telling on us? That's ridiculous! If you don't trust her, you shouldn't have asked her to marry you."

He winced at the true statement. It wasn't that he didn't trust Alex, he did. He was worried that once she knew he was a criminal, she'd leave him. That the truth would hurt her so bad, she would go running to her family for comfort and let what they were doing slip. He nodded to Leon. "You're right, I should tell her," he admitted, but that didn't mean he was going to do it.

* * *

So? What'd you think? Writing anything with the four of them is always super fun! ;)

Review, review, review, please! :)

~LoveInk


	26. The Past and the Future

This chapter is sort of filler…but it was fun to write :)

Tell me what you think! :)

Thanks so much to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, sweetist of sin** (I'm glad you're still reading!), **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Lola427 **(Is the soap feeling a good thing or a bad thing?), **LadyAlana83**, and **Violet201**! I love all of your reviews! They inspire me and encourage me to write more! Thanks! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 26: The Past and the Future_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex's alarm woke Vince up before she even stirred. He reached an arm out to shut it off, careful not to disturb his sleeping fiancée. Her hand was resting lightly on his chest, the pretty diamond ring glinting up at him. He lightly rubbed his thumb over the small diamond, smiling when her fingers curled against his chest. His other hand gently stroked the small of her back before he pulled her in closer and pressed a kiss to her hair. She stirred slightly, her eyelashes ticking his neck as she opened her eyes. "Morning beautiful," he murmured.

"Mmm," she grumbled, nuzzling her face into his neck. "Too early."

He chuckled, it was beyond him how seven o'clock was too early for her when she woke up at five to go surfing on a daily basis. "Didn't you wake up even earlier to surf yesterday?"

"No," she lied, her eyes fluttering back closed. She was too tired to explain to him that it was much easier to wake up to go surf than to wake up and go to a place where she was pretty sure she wasn't wanted.

"Liar." He moved to get out of bed, but her hand curled around his hip, tugging him closer.

"No!" she whined, trying to keep him in bed with her.

He laughed at her childish whine, easily sliding out from under her grasp. As soon as his feet hit the cold wooden floor, he regretted it. Shaking his head, he stood anyway. "I'm going to shower," he said, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple. "Feel free to join me if you want."

"I'm not getting out of bed," she replied, her words muffled by her pillow.

"Not even for some shower time with your fiancée?"

She smiled sleepily at the word before shaking her head. "Nope," she breathed, turning her face away from him.

Seconds after, she felt his strong arms slip under her stomach, lifting her out of the bed. She squealed in response, limbs flailing as she tried to get him to put her down. "I'll teach you to say no to me!" he joked, carrying her towards the shower.

Afterwards, Vince watched her as she stood in front of her vanity wearing nothing but a pair of simple black boy short underwear and a lacy lime green bra. She was staring at the ring on her hand, head tilted to the side, a sign she was in deep thought. He smiled, going to stand behind her. His hands trailed over her arms before he laced his fingers with hers. "It's real gold. Diamond's one and a half carats," he explained, setting his chin on her shoulder.

She turned her head to press a kiss to his cheek. "Big guy, you could've proposed with a plastic ring and I would've said yes," she admitted on a giggle. "I love it. It's beautiful."

He chuckled at her comment before he kissed her shoulder. "It was my Mom's."

A small gasp left her lips. "Vince…you can't give this to me," she said looking at him, her eyes wide. She could only imagine how much the ring meant to him.

"It's mine to give, Tiny," he said, his gruff voice serious. "My dad bought it for my Mom within a week of meeting her."

"He proposed to her after a _week_!"

He shook his head. "Nah, he waited a year first just to make sure," he explained with a grin. Memories of his parents flooded back to him. They had always been so obviously in love with each other. He could remember his Dad playing the guitar and singing to her as she danced around the room with him in her arms and Michaela asleep on the couch beside her Dad. He sighed. "They would've loved you, Tiny."

"Yeah?" she asked, her eyebrows lifted. It was very rare that Vince talked about his parents. She got the sense there was a sad story in his past, but he'd yet to reveal it. She wondered if that's what he was trying to work up to. "Where are they now?"

"Buried in New York," he replied softly. "They died in a car accident a few days before Christmas. I was eight; Mickey was just five. After that, we got sent here to live with our Aunt."

She turned in his arms, burying her face into his chest as she gave him a squeeze. "I'm sorry, big guy."

He sighed, dropping a kiss to her hair. "Don't be. Shit happens for a reason. If it hadn't, I'd still be in living in New York and we wouldn't have met."

"New York, huh?" she mused, looking up at him. "No wonder you're a Yankees fan."

"Just like our kids will be," he teased, chuckling when she pulled away, her eyes narrowed at him.

"Oh hell no. Our kids are going to be Giants fans or we're not having any."

He laughed, throwing his head back. "Is that a threat?"

"Yes. They can be Knicks fans; they can love the Jets, but not the Yankees."

He couldn't stop laughing at the incensed look on her face. He couldn't care less what team they're future kids rooted for; he was just happy there would be kids in his future. "What about the Dodgers?"

"That's it. No more sex for you," she said, pushing him away playfully.

He chuckled, shaking his head at her as he watched her change for the day. She stared at her drawers, contemplating. Finally, she decided on a black bikini top with cut off shorts before going to his drawer. "What are you doing?" he asked, watching her rifle through his clothes. "Last time I checked that was my drawer."

She ignored him and pulled at a black mesh tank of his. She pulled it on over the bikini before turning to him. "Ta da."

"Oh that's hot," he practically growled at her, his eyes looking her up and down hungrily.

Alex grinned at him; there was no mistaking the reason behind his Coyote nickname. She took the top off and threw it at him. "Too bad I can't wear it though," she said on a frown. She played with her engagement ring nervously. "Can I wear my ring?"

Vince thought the idea through. People were bound to find out eventually and now that he'd seen the ring on her dainty finger, he hated the idea of it not being there for the rest of their lives. "Fuck it," he said after a minute. He tossed her the tank. "Wear both."

"What?" she breathed, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Vince…"

"If Mickey and Leon know we're together, Jess and Letty know. If Let knows, Dom knows. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the punk knew by now. News travels like wildfire with the team."

She couldn't wrap her head around what he was saying. "I don't…I…what about Dom?"

"Fuck him," Vince said flippantly, stepping around her to grab a shirt out of his drawer. "You're going to be my wife whether he likes it or not, so he's got to suck it up and deal."

He'd barely gotten his tank over his head when she threw her arms around his neck, pulling his head down for a kiss. A huge smile was on her face when she pulled away. He raised an eyebrow at her, confused by her reaction. "What was that for?"

"Do you know how hard it is to lie to all of them?" she asked, her eyes sparkling happily. "I mean, thankfully we told Mia, but Mickey is perceptive as hell and I swear Letty knew from seeing me for two seconds!"

Vince chuckled before pressing a sweet kiss to her lips. "That's because you're a shitty liar."

"I _know_," she said rolling her eyes. "Should I make breakfast?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I'm sure Mia's making a big one. We could go there."

"Facing the problem head on, huh?"

"I don't have Mickey's aversion to confrontation," he said on a shrug. He put a mesh tank over his black sleeveless shirt before grabbing his keys out of his pocket. "You ready?"

Alex nervously chewed at her thumbnail. "I don't know."

"How bad can it be? Most of them already know," he said, shrugging again. At Alex's apprehensive look he sighed. "Dom won't touch you. I won't let him. He says one thing and I'm decking him, no questions asked. You're the mother of my future kids; no one fucks with you without consequences." With that, he started heading out the door.

She stayed behind, eyes wide. "Mother of your kids?" she repeated. She _loved_ the sound of that.

Vince turned on his heel and started walking backwards. "Yeah, we're going to have like twenty," he said, a playful smile on his face.

"_Twenty_!" she exclaimed, trying to keep up with his rapid pace. "You're insane! They hurt, you know!"

"Not me," he said cockily as he opened his car door for her.

Alex glared up at him. "_I'm_ gonna hurt you!"

Vince chuckled as he closed the door on her. When he got into the car, he looked over at her, pleased to see she was still smiling and not legitimately mad at him. He leant over the center console and pecked her cheek. "Love you, Tiny."

"I'm _not_ having twenty kids," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "Maybe ten, but definitely _not_ twenty."

His gruff laugh filled the car, making her heart do flip-flops. "Honestly, I don't care about numbers; as long as they're happy, healthy, and ours."

"Woah, cheeseball alert!" she teased, slouching down before kicking her feet up onto the dash. "I love you too, Vincent Cash."

He gave her a questioning glare. "What is _with_ people using my middle name? I've heard it more this week than I have in a long time."

"Dunno. I think it's kind of hot," she answered on a shrug. She'd always been curious about his badass middle name. "How'd you get that name anyway?"

"My Dad was a Johnny Cash fan," he explained on a shrug. "My Mom almost killed him when she saw the birth certificate. He did it without telling her. He tried to have Mickey's middle name be June, but my Mom caught him."

Alex laughed, shaking her head slightly. "You do that to me, and I'll kill you."

"Can I at least name like half of them?"

"What names are you thinking?"

"Oh, you know, Nissan, Maxima, Honda," he listed, trying to keep from laughing at the look on his fiancée's face. "What? You don't like those names?"

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "You want to name our children after cars."

Vince turned into his driveway and nodded enthusiastically. "Why not? We could call Maxima, Maxi."

"Poor thing would get made fun of for their entire life," she mumbled stepping out of the car.

"I highly doubt that," he replied, walking around the nose of his car to meet her on the other side. He slung an arm around her shoulders. "Look how cool my car is. If people knew she was named after this," he gestured to his car, "they wouldn't dare."

Michaela skipped out of their house just then, Leon trailing slowly after her. "Your brother wants to name our future child Maxima."

"You would," Michaela said, rolling her eyes at him. "No way am I naming our kids after cars."

Alex watched Leon's face blanch slightly; he'd obviously never thought of having kids before. He coughed a little before shaking it off. Vince smirked at his sister. "Good, that means we won't have any competition over Nissan," he said as he walked with his sister toward the fort.

Alex hung back with Leon, studying his face. "You don't want kids," she stated quickly.

Leon clenched his jaw and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know what I want. I haven't thought about it. Apparently, we're having kids though, so…great. We're not even getting married yet."

"Relax, _flaco_," she said, grinning at the worried look on her brother's face. "Everything is going to be fine. So when are you going to propose?" (Skinny. It's a Spanish nickname.)

He rubbed a hand over his face as he sighed. "Don't start that shit. I have absolutely no idea. I don't even have a ring. I went into one of those stupid stores and they just stared at me."

She giggled. "No worries, I'll help you out next time."

Leon sighed again. "Yeah, okay," he said on a nod.

"If you don't want to ask her, don't ask, Lee. No one's forcing you to."

"Forcing him to what?" Michaela questioned as they approached the front door.

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Forcing him to be an ass. It comes naturally."

"Oh, you're real funny," Leon shot back at her. He walked into the fort with Michaela leaving Alex and Vince outside.

She swallowed hard as she looked at the front door. "Is this really a good idea?"

Vince gave her a reassuring smile. "Tiny, they're going to find out eventually, might as well be today."

Alex let out a long breath as she nodded. "Okay. Let's do this."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into the house. When they walked into the dining room, it fell silent. Dom's dark eyes seemed to be trying to bore holes through her as she took the empty seat next to Leon and across from Vince. Mia gave her a bright smile. "Hey Lex! You excited for Race Wars?" she asked, offering her a plate of bacon.

Alex let out a breath she hadn't noticed she been holding. Extending her arms, she reached for the plate. Mia's eyes widened when she caught site of the ring, the plate of eggs falling from her fingers and landing with a crash onto the table. "Oh my gosh! Sorry, sorry!" Mia exclaimed rushing to clean up her mess. "Lex, can you help me in the kitchen? _Please_."

Vince watched his fiancée push away from the table, a look of amusement in his blue eyes as he watched her go. Mia's shrill scream of excitement rang through the dining room. Jesse winced as he played with his food. "_Some_one's happy you're back together."

* * *

Hehe so...what'd you think? Let me know in a _review_!

~Love Ink


	27. Race Wars

So this chapter is another filler…ish. :)

Thanks so much to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(Not the football team, the San Francisco Giants :]), **sweetist of sin, gunslaanger, Lola427**, **Miss. Lori MacManus, **and **1morning glory1** (who reviewed another chapter but still deserves a shout out!). **;) **Thank you all so much for taking the time to review! It means the world to me!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 27: Race Wars_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex's ears were still ringing from Mia's shrill scream. She wasn't surprised when Michaela and Letty strolled in after, hold pieces of the broken plate. Letty's dark eyes surveyed the scene, taking note of Alex's hands in Mia's. The sparkling diamond caught her eyes. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Is that…"

Mia nodded enthusiastically. "_Yes _it is! Oh my gosh, Lex! This is crazy! How'd he do it?"

"Don't get your hopes up, Mi," Michaela muttered from where she was leaning against the counter. "The story is about as romantic as mud."

"Michaela knows!" Mia shouted, pinching Alex's arm. "You told her first!"

"Ow! Geez, Mia! I told you we were back together first!" she replied, rubbing at her arm.

Letty rolled her eyes, pulling at Alex's hand. "He couldn't have splurged for a bigger rock?" she asked sarcastically.

Mia gasped at the mere question while Michaela sighed. "That's my Mom's," she explained softly. "He's been holding onto it for awhile now."

"Oh. Sorry," Letty said, grimacing. She had just been joking around with Alex; she hadn't meant to offend Michaela in the process. "It's very pretty."

Alex smiled as she played with it nervously. "Thanks," she said softly. "Just keep it on the down low. There are certain people that don't need to know."

Michaela chuckled. "She's scared to show Dom."

"Yeah, well after someone calls you a whore and a bitch, it's _kind_ of daunting to tell him _anything_," Alex said, shrugging her shoulder indifferently.

Letty smirked. "I heard about that. I'm sorry about him. He'll come around eventually, I guess."

She waved off Letty's apology. "It's all right. I've been called worse," she said with a smile. "So when are we leaving for this Car Wars thingy?"

"Race Wars!" all three girls shouted in unison.

* * *

Alex's leg bounced up and down excitedly as Vince pulled the Maxima into the line of cars that were all waiting to get into Race Wars. He chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Tiny, calm down," he said, setting his hand on her bouncing knee.

"I'm fine," she said, giving him a bright smile. "There are just so many pretty cars!"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Whatever you do, do _not_ call anyone's car pretty to their face."

She laughed. "I'll just tell them they have a very macho, manly car. How's that?"

"How about you don't talk to anyone?" he suggested, a wicked grin on his face. "Especially guys."

"Okay. I'll only talk to the hot ones."

He squeezed her knee, making her wriggle around in her seat as she giggled. "You see that ring on your hand?" he asked, nodding to the sparkling diamond ring. "That means no other guy gets to touch you. Ever."

She grinned, his possessiveness was a turn on sometimes. "_Ever_ ever?"

"Never ever," he said seriously.

Leaning over the seat, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you."

"No guys, Tiny," he said in reply. He hadn't heard her agree with him yet.

Rolling her eyes, she sat back into her seat with a thump. "Yes sir!"

After getting numbers painted on the car, he pulled up to a stop next to two silver trailers and the rest of the teams' cars. As she got out of the car, Alex's eyes traveled up to the huge billowing tent above them. "Looks like a jellyfish," she commented offhandedly.

Vince laughed loudly, stepping around the car and draping his arm over her shoulders, leading her over to one of the trailers. Dom came bustling out of it, Jesse hot on his tails. "Schedule," he grunted at Vince, handing him a sheet of paper. "You're up at noon."

He took the paper from Dominic. "How's the other guy look, Jess?"

"Like crap," Jesse answered frankly. "You'll win."

Vince chuckled. "Good."

"Something's different about you," he stated. He scratched under his beanie as he looked at Alex. He shrugged after a minute. "Can't put my finger on what," he said, holding up the ring finger on his left hand. He gave her a wink before chasing after Dominic.

Alex laughed, shaking her head at Jesse. She turned to look up at Vince who was still staring at the schedule. "Fucker only signed me up for one," he murmured under his breath. "I gotta talk to Dom. You gonna be all right here?"

She rolled her eyes at him, pushing him towards Dom. "Go, big guy."

"The trailer has food and a bed. I guarantee you Mickey's sleeping there," he said, gesturing to the aluminum trailer behind her.

"Yeah, but can you guarantee that she's not with Leon?"

Vince sneered at the thought. "She better not be. Maybe I'll go check," he said, changing directions. Alex reached out and grabbed the waist band of his jeans, digging her heels into the ground to stop his trek. She didn't succeed, but it did slow him down enough to annoy him. After a few steps, he stopped, making her fall right on her butt. He turned around, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "What were you trying to do, Tiny?"

She sat there on the dusty ground and looked up at him through her bangs. Frustrated, she blew those annoying pieces of hair out of her face. "Stop you…obviously."

He chuckled and extended a hand to help her up. "Felt like you were trying to pants me," he said, forcefully pulling her up off the ground and into his arms.

Alex looked up at him, a naughty grin on his face. "Nah, that'll be _after_ you win," she teased, winking at him.

Dipping his head down, he slanted his mouth against hers, giving her a soft and sensual kiss that left her weak in the knees when he pulled away. "I'll look forward to that, wifey," he called over his shoulder as he walked away from her.

"Wifey, huh?" Letty's gravelly voice repeated from behind Alex. "That boy is so sprung. I've _never_ seen him like this. All smiles and shit."

Alex didn't hear anything Letty said, her lips were still tingling from his kiss. "Mmm," she mused quietly. Only Vince had the ability to leave her completely weak in the knees and breathless after just one kiss. She breathed in deeply before letting out the breath in a sigh.

Letty shook her head. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?"

She lifted her eyebrows as she turned to Letty. "What?"

"Never mind, girl," Letty replied, giving Alex's shoulder a squeeze. It was obvious Alex was just as sprung as Vince. "What are you up to now?"

"Nothing. Vince told me Mickey was in the trailer so I was going to…"

"Don't go in there," Letty cut her off quickly. At Alex's questioning look, she nodded towards it. It was barely noticeable, but when she looked at it long enough, she could see the house on wheels rocking just a little bit. Letty smirked, "If the trailer's a rockin' don't come a knockin'."

Alex stuck out her tongue. "Gross."

Letty shrugged. "We've all done it in that thing. You'll have a turn too, don't worry. C'mon, let's go check out my baby. I'm going to race in a few hours."

After talking with Dom, Vince wandered around their camp looking for his fiancée. He found her giggling with Letty as they looked at her engine. When he neared them, he heard them both conversing quietly in Spanish. Every so often, they'd sneak a glance at him and giggle; an act that made him feel a little uncomfortable. It was bad enough when she talked to Leon in Spanish, he didn't need her talking to Letty in Spanish too. "What are you two giggling about?" he asked, sitting on the front bumper of Letty's car and looking up at Alex expectantly.

Letty tried to shove him off. "You scratch my baby and I'll kill you."

"Relax, Let," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"_Lo veo ahora. Son muy simulares_," Alex said, giggling slightly. Letty had been detailing all the ways Michaela and Vince were similar. "You know, V, I bet if you wore a dress you would look just like Michaela," she teased. (_I see it now. They're very similar.)_

Vince narrowed his eyes at Letty. "Oh you did _not_ tell her that story."

"Hey, she's your wifey, she should know about how good you look in woman's clothes," Letty answered. In no time, his arm was wrapped around her neck, holding her in a tight headlock. "Get off me, you fuckin' asshole!"

He let her go, ruffling her hair. "All right. Tiny, I'm gonna go take a nap," he said, catching her lips in a quick kiss. "Be good."

She smiled up at him. "Of course."

* * *

An hour or two later, Alex wandered into the trailer to check on him. The trailer was a mess. Food wrappers were everywhere. Mia had told her they had two trailers because one was for the boys and one for the girls. Now, she understood why. One of the cupboards had writing on it in permanent marker. Raising her eyebrow, she stood on her toes to get a better look. Four letters were written with tick marks after them. The first line, D, had a few before a big, bold L was drawn and then a ton of tick marks followed. She grinned, obviously that was for Dom and Letty.

The next one was Vince's. She wasn't surprised by the large amount of hatch marks after his name. She _was_ surprised to see a big bold A after them and then nothing. Letty's words ran through her head: _You'll have a turn too, don't worry_. She smiled, tracing her fingers over the letter. The longest by far was Leon's. A big red M followed by two hatch marks after it. "Gross," she muttered to herself before moving on.

When she walked into the trailer's bedroom, her heart warmed at the sight before her. Vince was passed out face down on the bed; his arms wrapped around the pillow, hair a mess. She sat on the bed next to him, leaning over to press a kiss to his temple. Standing up, she tousled his hair before going to stand up.

His arm shot out, caching her knee as she went to walk away. She turned back to find him half awake. He tugged her closer, his hands sliding higher up her thigh. With a grin, she knelt down on the bed next to him. He flipped over onto his back, reaching up a hand to brush a stray hair from her face. "Do you know how sexy you look in my shirt?" he asked, his voice rough, eyes shining with lust.

"No, but I bet you could show me," she murmured, sliding one knee over his torso to straddle him. She pressed a kiss to his lips as his hands found her hips. "C'mon, big guy, we need to get up on the board."

* * *

Michaela sat on the floor of the bathroom of the trailer, pissed was missing her brother's big race. Another wave of nausea over took her and she bent over the toilet. Out of nowhere, her hair was being lifted off her neck. "You okay, Princess?" Leon's gruff voice questioned.

"Yeah, fine, I just….ugh," she answered feeling miserable as she sat down on the floor.

Leon's hand gently pressed against her forehead, testing the temperature of the clammy skin. "Did you drink any water today?"

"No," she muttered wretchedly.

He shook his head at her. "You're dehydrated, baby," he held out his hand to her to help her off the floor. He smoothed her hair gently away from her face before kissing her forehead. "C'mon, let's get you some _agua_." (_Water_.)

Just as they were on their way out, Vince came barging through the door carrying Alex, her legs wrapped around his torso. He glared at Leon over her shoulder. Leon held up his hands. "Relax; we were on our way out, brotha."

"Good. And don't come back for awhile," Vince replied, kicking the door shut behind them with his heel. He set Alex down on the floor easily. "I won."

"I know," she said, a proud grin on her face.

"Be my trophy wife?" he asked, his fingers already tugging at the hem of the tank she was wearing.

She nodded. "Always."

* * *

Hehe...you like? Review! Pleeeease?

This is to show some relationships and also parts of Race Wars that aren't seen in the movie. I picture them being there all day so they're bound to get bored. And when Team Toretto gets bored, they turn to their girls...at least in my story ;)

Anywho, new **Fast Five** trailer up! And no Vince :( ...well you can kind of see him if you look hard enough. Maybe Universal is trying to make his appearance a surprise? I'm excited! :D One month to go! Yippeee!

Okay, I'm done rambling! Review, pretty please!

~Love Ink


	28. Beautiful Disaster

Thanks so much to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, **and **1morning glory1** (hehe Jesse has marks, I just failed to write about them…oops! I have heard a rumor that they MIGHT get Michelle back for the sixth one!). **:D**

I'm in the middle of my university's finals week and putting off studying for my huge bio final! Please review and cheer me up! :D

…There's extra bad language in this one…Alex has a dirty mouth when she's mad.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex though I would love to own both of their men 3

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 28: Beautiful Disaster_

**By: LoveInk**

After Letty's race, Alex wandered aimlessly around the team's camp looking for her fiancée since she hadn't seen him in awhile. She could hear yelling coming from inside the metal vehicle and raised an eyebrow. She knew those voices. Vince was yelling at Dominic. She edged closer, listening just in case she had to step in.

"You asked her to marry you?" Dom's voice boomed. "Are you crazy?"

"Fuck off, Dominic, it doesn't concern you!"

"Hell yeah it does!" he shouted back. "Vince, she's dangerous!"

Alex raised an eyebrow. _Dangerous_? Her? Really? Now, she was curious. Vince's response was barely audible. "I haven't told her, Dom. She's not a threat."

"How are you doing that?" Dom questioned, his dumbfounded. "Letty would never stand for that."

"Alex is different, Dom," Vince answered, the volume of his voice lowered. "She just accepts it."

Dom's answering voice was skeptical. "What bullshit did you tell her because I doubt the fact that you're not saying anything because you're worried she's gonna run to her brother-in-law is going to fly with her, so you're either lyin' to me or about to fuck things up with her."

"I told her I didn't want to risk getting her in trouble. It won't mess anything up with her. She'll never find out."

Alex gasped; she felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. He didn't trust her. The man she was going to marry didn't _trust_ her! Her eyes watered as she stared down at the diamond ring on her hand. Everything that ring stood for was a total lie. Shaking her head, she started heading away, trying her best to reign in her tears.

Vince hadn't noticed her standing there, but Dom had. As soon as Vince finished his last sentence, he heard the small gasp and looked out to see her standing just a few feet away. Once Vince had stormed out, Dom chased after her, calling her name. She didn't slow down. "Would you stop? C'mon Alex! Listen to me!" she slowed down so he could catch up but didn't stop. "Look, you're not my favorite person in the entire world," Dom started, falling into step next to her.

She stopped then and glared up at him, her green eyes blazing with an angry fire. "Oh, really? I had no idea," she spat sarcastically.

Dom clenched his teeth to keep from lashing out at her angrily. He did not appreciate her sarcasm. "You're not my favorite person, but you're Vince's. And I just want him to be happy, even if it's with a bitch like you."

"Oh how sweet," Alex quipped cynically. She really needed to talk to one of her _friends_ now, not some bald asshole. "Fuck off, Dom."

"Would you listen to me?" he almost yelled. "He didn't mean it!"

She shook her head. "Yes, he did! He wouldn't have said it if he didn't," she practically shouted at him. "He doesn't trust me!"

"He didn't tell you because he was scared you'd run to your brother-in-law. It has nothing to do with him not trusting you!"

"Are you serious?" she exclaimed, eyebrows raised in shock. "It has _every_thing to do with it and you know it! He thought I'd _tell_ on you! Like some five year old!"

Dom could tell he wasn't helping the situation. "Yeah but…"

Alex sucked in a deep breath, trying her best to remain calm. "Well, newsflash for you, Dominic Toretto, I've known what you guys were doing for _days_! You're not exactly discreet about it and anyone with half a brain would've figured it out! Leaving in the middle of the night, high performance vehicles, Vince's bruises, come _on_! Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Alex…"

"I'm not, okay? And I haven't told Rube, in case you haven't noticed. If I had, the FBI would be on your ass so fast; you wouldn't even have time to _think_ about running! So don't come to me and tell me to understand when I don't! I have done nothing but protect you guys!"

"What are you going to do then? You going to run to him _now_?"

"NO!" she shouted, looking at him like he was the dumbest person alive. "Because I love Leon and I love Michaela and Mia and Jess and Let and because when Vince isn't driving me absolutely in_sane_, I love him too! I don't want anything to happen to _them_ so I'll protect them as much as I can! And I have!"

Dom blinked at her, he had never hear her speak with so much passion. "You _have_? When?"

"Fuck, you're dense," she said, shaking her head at him. "I haven't talked to my brother-in-law in _weeks_, Dominic. Do you know why?"

"No…"

"Because I am the world's _worst_ liar and I am scared to _death_ that he is going to ask me about the team and I'm going to have to lie to him so I avoid him and my sister at all costs so that I don't have to worry about fucking up!"

She could feel a tear make its way down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly before continuing. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to keep calm. "Shit," she breathed, wiping at her face as more tears slipped down.

Dom didn't like the girl, he didn't even care about her, but he didn't like to see any woman cry. "Don't cry."

"Fuck you," she shot back, turning her back to him. The last thing she wanted to hear while she was crying was someone telling her not to. It wasn't like she wanted to cry or like she could control it. "Just leave me alone, please."

She heard him turn before the sound of his footsteps grew distant. Seconds later, she felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her, pulling her into a jersey-clad chest. "Talk to me, baby girl," Leon's voice urged.

Alex sighed and let out the whole story, her tears subsiding as she did so. With one final shaky breath, she shrugged her shoulders. "Now what do I do, Lee?"

He let go of her and stepped away. "That's up to you."

She looked down at the engagement ring. It winked back up at her, almost as if it was laughing at her. "I can't marry him."

Leon's green eyes widened in shock. "Why not?"

"Lee, he doesn't trust me."

"This is a big deal, Lex. He's just scared."

She clenched her teeth, trying hard not to get mad at her pseudo-brother. "He wasn't scared when he asked me to marry him, was he?"

"That's different."

"It's not."

"C'mon, Lex…"

"Leon," she said glaring at him as she cut him off. "I trust him with everything I have. I have told him things I haven't told anyone else and I thought he told me stuff too."

"And I'm sure he has. Just not this. It was mostly Dom's idea, Lex. You can't blame just Vince."

Alex couldn't fight the anger that she felt surging through her veins. "And he can't just blame everything on Dominic! Yes, he's an asshole, but he obviously doesn't make Vince's decisions if he came back to me, right?"

Leon fumbled through his pockets nervously, looking for a toothpick. He found one and stuck it in his mouth, chewing it furiously as he thought of how to make her stay. Her logic was airtight though. If Vince listened to Dom all the time, he and Alex wouldn't have gotten back together, so it was obvious the Coyote made his own decisions regardless of Dom's opinion. There was no way he could contest to that. She'd seen it for herself. "Shit. You're right," he said in defeat.

"I know," she said softly.

"So what are you going to do? You want me to drive you home?"

She gave him a soft smile and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. You don't have to drive me home. I don't want to drag you into this."

He waved her off with a roll of his eyes. "Please, Lex, you're my sister," he started, draping an arm over her shoulders. "I'm already dragged into this on principle."

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "Thanks."

He gave her a squeeze before his phone beeped. Flipping it open, he swore under his breath, "I gotta go prep Jess for his race. You going to be good?"

"Yeah," she said nodding her head up and down. "Do I look like I've been crying?"

Leon studied her face before wiping away some eyeliner with his finger. He sighed before grabbing a water bottle out of his back pocket and throwing some water at her face. "There. Much better."

Her mouth fell open in shock as the cold water hit her face. "You better run, you ass!"

He started off, running through the crowds with her hot on his heels. When they passed by the Toretto camp, a large arm reached out and caught her around the waist, sweeping her off her feet and into the air.

She let out an involuntary shriek as Vince spun her around before setting her down onto her feet. "Tiny, you're all wet!" he said, shock in his voice.

"Yeah, I know, bozo over there decided to throw his water bottle on me," she said, glaring at Leon's retreating back.

Vince chuckled, giving her a quick squeeze. She turned around in his arms and studied his face. His smiling face was so…beautiful. She knew handsome was the appropriate world but she couldn't help think he was beautiful. _A beautiful disaster_, she decided, trying to keep smiling for him when all she wanted to do was breakdown and cry.

A flicker of concern traipsed across his face; something was wrong. "Tiny, what's…"

He was cut off as Leon ran through the camp, hitting him on the shoulder as he passed. "Heads up, bro, we got problems," he said, his eyes on the small white Jetta that was slowly disappearing into the desert.

"Where's Jesse going?" Dom asked, an eyebrow raised.

Leon sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "He just raced Tran for slips."

Vince pushed Alex behind him. "Get out of here. Go find the girls," he ordered, knowing a fight was coming. Alex stared up at him hesitantly, watching as his face took on a stony, determined quality she'd never seen before. "Alex. Go!" he shouted at her.

She stumbled back, when a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her into the trailer. Michaela gave her a reassuring smile as she pulled her toward the window. "It's safe in here. You don't want to be out there when it gets ugly," she explained.

Alex watched in shock as the crowd surged forward, the sound of skin hitting skin filled the air. She couldn't see much, but she could hear Vince shouting Dom's name. Obviously, the bald man was in the center of the brawl. "Are they going to be okay?" Alex asked, her eyes wide.

Michaela chuckled. "Oh yeah, they'll be fine. Our boys easily out muscle everyone else."

Alex looked to Mia for confirmation; Michaela tended to exaggerate. Mia smiled and nodded. "Yeah, they'll be fine. I'm just worried about Jess."

"He'll come back when things cool down. He's just freakin' out right now," Michaela said confidently. "I _told_ him not to race. He can visualize the win all he wants…doesn't mean it's gonna happen."

Neither Alex nor Mia found that funny, but humor seemed to be Michaela's coping mechanism. The door of the trailer flung open and a Dom stalked in, muttering curse words under his breath while Vince pushed him towards the sink. Mia was on him in seconds. "Let me see your hand," she said, looking at Dom expectantly. Dom set his large paw of a hand in her small hand. She shook her head at the split knuckles. "Jeez, Dom. How hard did you hit him? Never mind, don't answer that. V, how are you?"

"I was too busy trying to pry him away from Tran to hit anyone," Vince explained easily. "Check on Lee and Let. They're outside fightin' over who hit the most Trans. Idiots."

Michaela chuckled, stooping to grab a few icepacks from the mini-fridge before heading outside. Dom and Mia quickly followed after; both worried about the other team members.

Alex stayed where she was seated by the window, her eyes observing the quickly separating crowd. Vince looked at her carefully, wondering what had made that sad look fill her eyes just minutes before.

He approached her slowly, reaching out a hand to stroke her cheek and catch her attention. "Tiny…" Her green eyes fell on him. When he saw how much pain was behind them, he felt like he couldn't breathe. Had he caused that?

"Do you trust me?" Alex blurted out. She watched him stiffen and knew she had her answer. Shaking her head, she looked down at her hands. "Great," she whispered.

Frustration bubbled up inside of Vince, how could she know? No, he was going to see if he could convince her otherwise. "You didn't let me answer."

"I don't have to. I know you, Vince. So I'll save you the lie and say you don't," she said on a sigh. She sniffed slightly and wiped at the tears she hadn't noticed were filling her eyes. "I know about what you've been doing."

"What? Since when?"

"You're not discreet and I'm not an idiot. And if you're wondering-which I know you are-I didn't tell Rube," she said, anger resonating through her voice. "I've been avoiding even talking to him, actually. So he doesn't know. You're welcome for that."

Vince felt his heart sink in his chest at the sad tone in her voice. Regret filled him, how could he not have trusted her?s He took in a deep breath. "Tiny…"

"Just take me home, Vince," she requested softly. "I don't want to be here anymore."

* * *

:(

Reviews are well loves and greatly appreciated so leave me one please! :)

Let me know what you think Alex is going to do or what you want her to do! ;) And also if you liked this chapter!

~Love Ink


	29. Be Safe

Thanks so much to:** Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, LadyAlana83 **(I've added quite a bit the the movie, but that's what makes fanfics fun! Hehe) **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(No worries, I was "studying" your story in the library as well :D)**,** and **sweetist of sin**. **:D**

Thanks so much for your reviews! They have made all this studying for finals so much better!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 29: Be Safe_

**By: LoveInk**

The car ride back to Alex's was spent in silence. Vince watched her anxiously from the driver's seat as she played with the diamond ring, sliding it slowly up and down her finger as if she was contemplating taking it off. Had he really messed up that badly? Leon's words rang through his head: _If she finds out why you didn't tell her, it will tell your relationship to pieces._ He'd been right.

"What's going though that head of yours?" he ventured. It was a normal question between them, one that was asked a lot. She let out a long sigh and shrugged her shoulder, but didn't say anything out loud. Vince ran a hand through his hair. "Tiny…"

"Do _not_ apologize," she ground out, her green eyes fierce when she looked up at him. Whatever apology he had didn't mean anything. He still didn't trust her and sorry wouldn't change that.

He sighed. "What do you want me to say? What _can_ I say to fix this?"

"Nothing, Vince. I just…I need time to think."

"Right. Sleep on it," he muttered under his breath. He would pay millions just to know what she was thinking. As he pulled into the driveway, he watched her quickly open the door for herself; usually she waited for him to do it knowing that he liked to.

Vince got out of the car and quickly walked over to her. She looked up at him, her green eyes filled with hurt. "Be careful tonight, Vince. Don't let this," she gestured between them, "distract you, okay?"

He wished she would call him "big guy" or "baby" anything but Vince. The way she was saying it put him on edge. She turned to walk away but grabbed her arm to stop her. "We can fix this, right? This isn't over?" he asked, his eyes hopeful. She looked up at him and he could tell she didn't want to answer his question. "Answer me, Alex! Come on!"

Alex swallowed hard, tears coming to her eyes before she could stop them. "I'm really hurt right now. Don't force me to say something I might regret in the morning."

His grip on her arm tightened, making her wince a little. "Talk to me, Alex."

"Leave me alone, Vince," she ground out through her teeth. She had gone from sad to mad in seconds.

"What do you want from me?" he yelled at her, his hand squeezing her arm painfully. His eyes were dark with frustration and anger, something she found scary. She gasped as his short fingernails bit into her arm and he seemed to snap out of it. He relinquished his grip on her and took a step back, shaking his head and mumbling an apology.

"I want you to trust me!" she screamed up at him. "I want to feel like I can trust you! I want this," she held up at her hand with the ring, "to _mean_ something, Vince! Because right now, all it's just a pretty shiny thing!"

She took in a deep breath to calm herself down, wiping at the tears she hadn't even noticed she'd shed. "Did you even _think _before you asked me? Did you even contemplate what it meant to propose? To get married?"

"Of course I did!" he scoffed, shaking his head.

"Obviously not, Vince! You don't trust me!"

"Would you have trusted me?" Vince shot back at her, eyebrows raised. "If the situations were flipped, would you have trusted me?"

She didn't even need to contemplate the question, she already knew her answer. "Yes!" she yelled at him. "I trust you with my life! _That_ is why I agreed to spend the rest of it with _you_!"

Vince sighed and held out his hands to the side. "I asked you to marry me because I love you. I've never felt this way about anyone and I didn't want to lose you."

"I wasn't going anywhere, Vince. You had me. You always did. Even back when I was dating Eddie…it was always you I wanted."

He watched her as she gently started working the ring off her finer. "Alex, stop," he ordered, going to grab her hands.

"I can't…" the words caught in her throat as she shook her head. "Vince, you ripped my heart to pieces the first time you left. And then you came to me asking me to take you back even though you couldn't tell me what you were doing, and I did. I didn't question it, didn't ask. I blindly trusted you despite the fact that you left me every night and came home hurt. I never asked. And now here we are and I feel just as broken as I did the first time." She held the ring out to him in her palm. "Take it. I know it means a lot to you."

"Don't be stupid, Alex."

She shook her head, keeping her hand out. "I'm not being stupid. This doesn't mean anything to me anymore."

He folded his hand over hers, closing her hand over the ring in the process. "Just keep it, all right? I'm not going to give it to anyone else."

Alex's stomach did a flip flop at his words. She felt like kissing him and just forgetting about all this stupid stuff, but she couldn't; it wasn't that simple. "Okay," she breathed, pulling her hand out of his. She didn't put the ring on, just slipped it into her pocket.

His hand reached out to gently caress her cheek, his thumb sweeping over the wet trail her tears had left behind. It physically hurt him to see her in so much pain, to watch her cry like this. It hurt even more that it was him who had caused it. "Alex, I love you," he murmured quietly, his words slightly choked. "That's never going to change."

Her hand reached up to cover his and she nodded. "I know."

Vince's phone rang loudly from his back pocket and she winced. He didn't answer it, he didn't need to. He knew it was Dom telling him to get his ass back to Race Wars so they could get ready for the heists. "I gotta go," he stated, a small frown on his face.

"Be safe, okay," she pleaded, worry etched in her green eyes.

Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Can I come back to her tonight?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. Come back and we'll talk, okay? Just be safe."

* * *

Letty gave one last long look at Mia before getting into Vince's car. Her friend had tear tracks on both her cheeks as she watched them close the doors to their cars. Sighing, she got into the car and strapped herself in. Vince raised his eyebrow at her as he sunk into the driver's seat. "This is different," he mumbled. Usually Letty rode with Leon and Dom and Jesse rode in his car.

"That car's too crowded and you look like you have something on your mind," she said in response. "Go ahead. Spill."

He let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head. "I fucked up, Let."

She raised an eyebrow in response; Vince was not the type of guy to admit he messed up. "I'm going to need more of an explanation then that, V."

"Alex found out why I didn't tell her about the heists."

"Was she really that upset that you wanted to protect her?"

Vince sighed again. "That's not the reason."

"That's what Dom told me."

"Her brother-in-law is…an FBI agent," he explained slowly. "And we were worried that she would tell him about what we were doing if she found out."

Letty let out a light laugh, shaking her head at him. "You're an idiot. You didn't think she would find out? If you know us well- like she does -it's obvious who's doing them."

"I knew she'd find out about that…I didn't she'd find out the real reason I didn't tell her," he admitted softly. "I was kind of banking on that."

"So _that'_s why she was mad. Not because of the fight with Tran or anything, but because she found out."

"And now, she thinks I don't trust her."

"You don't," she shot back at him confidently. Vince glared over at her, but she shrugged in response. "V, if you trusted her, you wouldn't have worried about her telling her brother-in-law."

"I do trust her, Let. Just not with team things."

Letty shook her head, stubbornly. "It doesn't work like that. You either trust her with everything or nothing," she explained. He just grunted in response. Rolling her eyes, she asked, "So what did she say?"

"She said I broke her heart…again. Then she tried to give me back the ring. When I told her to keep it, she just told me to come back so we can talk," he explained before sighing heavily. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"She won't leave you, V. She really loves you. We all know it."

Vince didn't seem to be so sure. "Is that enough?"

"Sometimes."

"I can't lose her, Let."

Letty gave him a soft smile. "You won't because she can't lose you either. Just give her some space, some room to figure things out. "

He nodded in response. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat. "Hey Let?"

"Yeah?"

"If something goes wrong, will you tell her I'm sorry and that I really do love her? Tell her I'm a fuck up and she's the best thing that ever happened to me."

Letty felt tears sting at her eyes at how much feeling Vince had put into his words. She gave him a soft smile and squeezed his arm. "Nothing's going to happen to you, V," she stated, certain of her words. "But I'll let her know."

"Thanks, Teesh," he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He hadn't called her that name in years, not since before she started dating Dom. They'd been really close then. He was there for her when her mom died, when her dad got sent to war, when Mr. Toretto died, when Dom went to Lompoc, through all those dark times, he had been her rock. Actually, he'd been the rock of the entire team for a long time. No one ever gave him credit for that. He was the one they turned to when things went wrong. Dom didn't give a shit most of the time; Mia was guaranteed to be falling apart if something bad happened; Michaela used her sense of humor to cover up anything that was wrong; and she just got angry. When things went wrong, Vince was usually the voice of reason, albeit the loud, violent voice of reason, but a voice of reason all the same. "You're awesome, you know that? Lex is lucky to have you."

Vince rolled his eyes at her. "Get out of here mush head," he said as he parked behind the Skyline.

Letty chuckled as she got out of the car and headed toward Dom. Vince got out of the driver's side and instantly, Michaela was throwing her arms around him. She buried her face into his chest, squeezing him tightly. He hugged her back, chuckling before he dropped a kiss into her hair. "What's wrong, pretty girl?"

"I'm scared for you," she admitted, her words muffled by the cloth of his shirt. She pulled away and looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "How about we don't do this?"

He sighed and looked to Leon who dealt with Michaela's tears much better than he did. "I'll be fine," Vince assured her, kissing her forehead again. "Go get your gear from Lee."

She nodded, standing on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Good luck, bro. I love you."

"You too, sis," he said ruffling her hair lovingly before pushing her toward Leon.

Michaela tried to control her tears as she approached Leon. She knew that crying was useless; it wasn't like Dom was going to put a stop to the heists because she started crying like a baby. Leon frowned when he saw her, his thumb ghosting over the trail a tear had left as it escaped her hold. "No tears, all right Princess? We got this one," he murmured to her, crushing her against him. He felt her head nod against his chest and slowly let her go. "How are you feeling? Still sick?" he asked, his hand gently rubbing at her stomach.

She shook her head. "Nah, I'm fine."

He seemed to be assured by her answer. "Here put this on," he said holding something out to her.

She took the piece of hard black fabric out of his hand. When she realized what it was, she raised an eyebrow at him. "A bullet proof vest? Lee, I'm just knocking out the window."

"I know but you can never be too careful," he replied with a shrug of his shoulder. As he watched her put the armor on, his stomach churned. He didn't like that Michaela was taking Jesse's role. True, it was nowhere near as dangerous as Vince's, but he'd rather have her safe at home where he didn't have to worry about her. "Your sister's right about this one. This don't feel good," he said glaring at Dom as he handed the bald man the hook.

"Don't do that," Dom warned, a serious look in his dark eyes. The last thing they needed was for Leon to jinx them with his supposed "feeling." He was sure everything would be fine; nothing had ever gone wrong before.

Letty let out a long breath as she felt a sense of foreboding fill the air. "Something's wrong."

"Stop!" Dom shouted, though the look in his eyes told her he was starting to feel the same way.

"We shouldn't be doing this without Jesse," Letty complained, glancing nervously at Michaela.

Michaela gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Let."

"This is the mother load. We've been on this for months," Dominic explained looking at each team member in turn. "After this, it's a long vacation for everyone. Let's go."

"I hope so," Leon murmured, turning back to his girlfriend.

He watched Michaela's hands shake as she twisted her hair up into a knot so it'd fit beneath the helmet she currently was holding between her legs. He grabbed her face lightly to get her attention before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "You know what you're doing?"

She nodded quickly and looked up at him, her eyes begging for another kiss. He willingly obliged, wrapping his arms around her as he did so. This kiss was deeper and longer as though he was trying to comfort her through it. She savored the feeling of his mouth on hers, committing it to memory just in case. "You going to be okay?" he asked, more for his sake than hers.

"Of course," Michaela answered, the corner of her mouth turning up in a confident smirk. She took a deep breath as she toyed with the strap of the helmet. Her blue eyes followed her brother as he got into Dom's car. "You'll be okay, right?" she asked, her tone shaky and unsure.

Leon nodded and chuckled. "Princess, I have the safest job out of all of you!" She looked up at him and for the first time in a long time, he saw genuine fear flash through her eyes. "Listen to me Mickey, I love you and we're going to get through this together. Everything is going to turn out all right, okay?"

She stood on her toes and placed a light kiss on his mouth. "Okay," she whispered. "I love you, Lee."

He gave her a shaky smile and pulled her to him. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid," he whispered, burying his face into her hair and inhaling her citrusy scent one last time.

Michaela giggled nervously. "Lee, what stupid thing could I possibly do?" she asked, getting into Letty's car and closing the door.

"I don't know," he said, leaning against the open window. "Just be safe."

She smiled, gently touching his cheek before nodding. "I will."

"I'll see you in a few, then," he said, kissing her one last time.

She nodded, watching his back as he headed toward his Civic. She watched her brother and Leon put their fingers to their eyes and point them back to each other-a signal that meant they'd watch each other's backs- and smiled at the gesture happy that her two favorite men watched out for each other.

"Leon, keep on those scanners," Dom ordered, getting into the driver's side of Vince's car.

"Copy that," he answered, taking one last look at Michaela before slipping into the Civic.

Letty sat down in the driver's seat with a long sigh. "Why do I have this terrible feeling?"

"I don't know, but I have the same one," Michaela murmured looking down at her hands as Letty began to drive. "I can do this, Let. Don't be worried about me. Jesse showed me how, just in case."

"I'm not worried about you being able to do it, I'm worried about something going wrong," Letty admitted with a small smile, her eyes never leaving the road in front of her. "You'll do great."

Both girls grew quiet as they neared the truck. "Ok, go time!" Dom's voice came over the walkie talkie. "Show us what you got, girls!"

* * *

Did you like it? A little sad, sorry... :\

Coming up next...the TRUCK HEISTS!

Please review and let me know what you think! :D

~ Love Ink


	30. The Heists

The heists are here! :) Just a warning: they're a bit different from the way they are in the movie...Mostly because Michaela's there. Let me know if you think I tied her in well...

Thanks so much to:** tfatfreak207, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, **and **Lola427 **(Brian's there, just not really involved with my characters. ;) )

Thanks for your reviews and favorites, and alerts, etc! You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 30: The Heists_

**By: LoveInk**

Letty drove in front of the truck as Michaela opened up the sunroof. She handed her the hook and watched as she shot it perfectly into the truck's window and jimmied the glass out. Michaela sat back down in the car seat with a sigh. "Mission accomplished," she breathed, taking the helmet off and shaking her hair out.

"Good job, Princess," Leon complimented, his voice sounding deeper through the walkie talkie.

"Nice," Letty commented before falling back to the truck's left side so Dom could get in front of it.

"We're all good, I got nothing on the scanners. Keep going," Leon informed before Vince shot the hook into the truck's passenger seat.

Michaela felt her heart lurch in her chest as she watched her brother jump from one moving vehicle to the other. "Oh shit!" she exclaimed as the trucker shot at him. "Letty! He's got a gun!"

"He's got a damn shot gun!" Dom's voice came, shaking over the Nextel. "Leon!"

"Back off! Get him off of there!" Leon's voice yelled back.

Michaela watched in horror as Dom tried in vain to get Vince off the truck. "Letty, we have to do something," she insisted, her voice panicked.

"What do you want me to do?" Letty asked before coming up with an idea herself. "Dom, I'm pulling up to distract him!" she shouted into the Nextel, speeding toward the front of the truck. "C'mon boy! Shot doesn't get better than this!" she muttered just before a bullet went through their back window.

"Shit!" Michaela exclaimed, ducking her head down so that the glass didn't get on her. "You all right, Let?"

"Son of a bitch!" Letty yelled, pounding her hand against the steering wheel. "I'm good. You good?"

"You girls all right?" Leon asked, his voice sounding panicked. Letty answered him with a quick confirmation.

Michaela stayed silent, watching in horror as she saw her brother's bulky form swing to the passenger side of the truck, his arm tangling in the wire that was supposed to keep him safe. Dom tried to get him off the car but it was no use, he couldn't do much to help Vince while he was behind the wheel.

Michaela took a deep breath, she knew what she had to do and Leon was not going to like it. "Let, drive up to Vince's side."

"What are you going to do?" Letty demanded, her eyes never leaving the road in front of her.

"I'm gonna jump onto the truck and save him," she explained, her eyes never leaving Vince's bleeding arm. It wouldn't be that difficult to do if Letty was close enough. The trucker wouldn't shoot a girl, would he? After all, she would be trying to get him _off_ so wouldn't the driver be happy about that? These were the thoughts going through her mind as she mentally prepared herself for the jump.

Letty snorted. "Like hell you are."

"Letty, I'm the only one who can help him! You guys can't do it while driving! I can jump over there, untangle him then help him back onto the car! It'll be easy."

"Easy!" Letty mocked, her tone implying that she thought Michaela wasn't right in the head. "Are you crazy?"

"No! This is Vince we're talking about, Let. I can't just leave him there without trying to help. Please!" Michaela pleaded, her voice wavering slightly. "I need to do something."

Letty saw the same stubborn look on Michaela's face as Vince had when he was being hard-headed. There was no way she was going to let the idea drop. "Leon's going to kill me," she muttered, speeding up.

Michaela pulled her hair back and set the helmet at her feet before taking off the heavy vest. Letty stopped her. "Nuh-uh. No way are you going to jump without protection."

"It's too heavy, Let. I won't judge the jump right. I'll be fine," Michaela insisted.

"Okay," Letty breathed, her voice unsure. She grabbed the Nextel to tell the others what they were doing. "Dom! Move out of the way! We're coming to get him!"

"If anything happens, tell Lee I'm sorry and I love him," Michaela said as she climbed on to the center counsel.

Letty nodded in confirmation before shouting, "_Suerte, chica!_" (Good luck, girl)

Leon's eyes widened in horror as he watched his girlfriend pop out of the sunroof. He knew what she was going to do. Panic set in. With shaking hands, he grabbed for his walkie. "Letty! Tell her to get back in the fucking car! There's no way she can save him!"

"She has to try, Lee," Letty's voice replied. "That's her brother out there."

His green eyes followed Michaela's lithe body as she pushed herself up onto the roof of the car before sliding onto the trunk. She stood, balancing easily on top of the moving car, ready to jump onto the moving truck at the right moment, her long hair flapping behind her. He felt sick to his stomach when he realized she'd taken off all forms of protection, the helmet, the vest, everything. How could she be so stupid? If something should happen there was little doubt in Leon's mind that she would be seriously injured if not killed.

As Letty pulled in closer, the truck driver swerved, clipping her front tire and flipping the car off to the side. Leon's eyes widened as his heart sunk like a weight to the very bottom of his chest. "No," he breathed, a lump rising in his throat. Michaela had been on the top of that car; he hadn't seen her jump off, hadn't seen her fall, and there was no sign of her in the road. "Michaela!" he shouted, banging his hand on the steering wheel.

"Leon!" Dom's voice was shaky as it blared over the Nextel. "Pull back for them!"

He didn't need to be told twice."I'm on it! Go!" He pulled a fast u-turn and headed in the direction of the crash, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "I've got them! You get Vince off that truck!"

He pulled to a screeching stop on the side of the road, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of Michaela. There was none. He could hear Letty coughing from the Civic, so he headed that way hoping he'd find Michaela nearby. Letty was already pulling herself out of the car when he got there. He rushed to her aide, helping her stand. "Letty! Come on, baby! You okay?" He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards the car. Once she was safely inside, he leaned on the open window. "Did you see Mickey?" Letty shook her head sadly. She hadn't seen anything. She'd completely blacked out when the car flipped over.

Leon's eyes scanned the desert-like area; he felt a car zoom past but was too focused on finding Michaela to pay it much attention. It took him a few minutes, but he found her. She was lying on her stomach, trying to push herself up with one hand, but failing miserably. Relief flooded through him as he sprinted towards her. "Michaela!" he exclaimed as he neared her.

She looked worse than Letty. Her wrist was swollen on one arm and the other was covered in blood. Where the blood was coming from, he couldn't figure out but it was everywhere making the dust stick to her. Her eyes were shut tightly, brow creased in pain. He fell down on his knees beside her, gently rolling her over to her back. "Mickey, are you all right?" he asked, trying not to panic when he saw the multitude of scratches on her torso. "Princess, look at me. Are you okay?" he repeated, willing her eyes to open.

She groaned slightly, her brow furrowing in pain before she opened her eyes. "Vince. Where's Vince?" she rasped, trying to sit up. She cringed as she did so, her good hand going to the front of her blood stained shirt. "Ouch. Shit."

"He's still on the truck," Leon explained, his hands moving hers out of the way. "Let me look at you," he muttered, moving the shirt away to get a better look at the scrapes on her stomach. _Road rash_. If only she'd been wearing the damn vest, it could've been avoided.

"Sorry," she mumbled, already knowing what he was thinking.

He shook his head at her slowly. "It's all right, Princess. You're going to be okay. Can you walk?"

She nodded in response so he gently lifted her off the ground and set her on her feet. She could stand just fine; she'd jumped off the car in such a way that her legs hadn't been severely injured though her jeans had some new holes in them. Groaning, she wrapped one arm around Leon's shoulders and together they jogged toward the car.

Michaela sat down in the front seat feeling useless. _He's still on the truck. _Those words played on repeat through her head. She felt utterly numb to the world around her. She couldn't feel the pain of her injuries or the warmth of Leon's hand on her thigh, all she could think about was her brother hanging off the side of the semi.

Leon pulled over to pick up Dom, getting out of the car to allow him to climb into the back seat with Letty. "Pull over here," Dom ordered, indicating the spot where the orange Supra had spun out. "They got him."

Relief flooded through Michaela. They got Vince! He was safe! She grasped the door handle and flung it open, stepping out of the car to run to her brother. The only reason she didn't collapse after her first step was the adrenaline coursing through her veins that propelled her forward.

"Michaela!" Leon called after her, watching as she fell to her knees beside Vince.

Mia's eyes widened as she took in the bloody appearance of her best friend. What was she doing getting out of the car like that? Didn't she see the extent of her damage? Couldn't she _feel_ it? "Mickey get back in the-"

"Is he okay?" Michaela cut her off, lightly brushing a stray hair off Vince's forehead just as Dom approached.

"If he doesn't get to an ambulance in 10 minutes, he's dead," Brian said, his eyes looking to Dom.

_Ten minutes._ That was nothing! Pulling Vince's head into her lap, she smoothed the hair back from his forehead. "C'mon, V. You need to pull through for Alex, for me," she murmured, leaning forward to press her forehead to his. "For us." She kept talking to him, oblivious to whatever conversation the three people around her were having. "Pull through, V. Please. I need you."

She could feel the helicopter's approach as it blew her hair around her. It took the paramedics no time to get Vince on the stretcher and even less to get him in the helicopter. She could hear Dom calling Mia's name and then hers, yelling at them to get in the car. With one grateful look at Brian, she ran to the car. Dom was in the backseat with Letty pulled into his lap. The sight of the massive man squeezed into the tiny backseat was laughable, but Michaela knew now was not the right time for that. She waited for Mia to slide into the empty backseat before she pushed back the passenger's seat and sat down. "You all right, Princess?" Leon questioned, his green eyes observing her nervously as he pulled onto the road.

Michaela held back tears as she nodded. "Yeah," she whispered, sniffling delicately. "I just...I need to call Alex."

"You can't, Mickey! The police will trace the call!" Dom stated from the backseat.

"I don't give a flying fuck what the police do, Dominic! She _needs_ to know about this," she shouted, her calm composure snapping in two. She really couldn't handle Dom yelling at her, not when he was at fault for all this.

Dom couldn't believe it. "Leon, stop her!"

"Fuck off, Dom," Leon muttered, taking the phone from Michaela and holding it to his ear.

Alex heard the phone ring and her heart stopped. It was five in the morning. Vince wouldn't have called her this early; he would've just shown up. Shown up and slipped into bed with her no matter how angry she was at him. Her hands shook as she picked up the small phone. "V?" she asked hopefully.

"Sorry, Short stuff," Leon started his tone low and sad.

"No. Lee, please tell me he's all right. Please," she pleaded, tears already falling down her face as she remembered the last time she saw him; she hadn't even told him she loved him!

He let out a long sigh, swallowing the lump in his throat. The pain in her voice cut him deeply. Turning to Michaela, he found her with her head in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs. He felt his heart rip in two. "He's on the way to the hospital."

"Shit," she cursed under her breath. Her mouth went dry with fear as her heart raced. She got out of bed, pulled on whatever clothes were closest to her, and sprinted to the car. "How bad, Lee?"

"Shorty, please don't cry," he pleaded, his breath catching in his throat as he heard a sob escape her lips.

"Please, Lee. Just tell me."

Mia watched Leon clench his jaw and realized just how hard it was for him to hear Alex cry. Sighing, she grabbed the phone from his hand. "Lex, it's bad, but he'll pull through. Get over to the hospital as quickly as possible. I'll meet you there."

Michaela heard the two say their goodbyes, all the while marveling at Mia's calm. Her whole world was falling apart, yet she managed to keep it together. Michaela's eyes examined her own arm; it was covered with blood and dirt. On the other arm, her wrist was swollen to an abnormal size. She tested the fingers of that hand; flexing and curling them, gasping as the minute movements made waves of pain roll up her arm. "I think it's fractured, Micks. Don't mess with it," Mia ordered from the backseat.

"We'll go straight to the hospital once we hit Mexico, Princess," Leon said, his eyes darting to her and then back to the road. "You're going to be fine."

Michaela stopped what she was doing and nodded absentmindedly. Her eyes, darkened with grief, stared out the front window. A tear slowly slid down her cheek as Leon turned onto the street she grew up on. More tears fell as she passed the spot where she'd fallen off of Vince's two-wheeler bike and broken her arm. He'd forbidden her to ride it the week before, but she hadn't listened. When she'd fallen, he had rushed to her and picked her up, all anger forgotten. He hadn't even yelled at her for that. He just sat patiently next to her in the waiting room while the doctor put a cast on her, listening intently as the doctor told him how to care for it. He'd been meticulous about her cast; always keeping her from scratching and making sure she put it in a bag before taking a shower. Vince had always been there for her. Always. And now she was going to leave him right when he needed her the most.

Leon parked in front of the fort and jumped out of the car, sprinting around the nose to help Michaela out. Dom, Mia, and Letty quickly followed suit and headed inside the house to pack. "You need help packing, Princess?" he asked her, a hand gently cupping her cheek. More tears slid down her cheek and gathered on his fingers. "Does it hurt that badly, baby?"

She gasped as the realization hit her; she couldn't leave her brother behind. Not after everything he'd done for her. "I can't go with you, Leon."

"No," Leon's voice shook as he said it. He pressed his forehead to hers. "No, Michaela, you're coming with us. Staying here isn't an option."

"He's my brother, Lee," she explained softly. "I can't just leave him."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Michaela, you can't stay here." He was on the brink of tears and trying desperately not to let them fall. The look in her eyes was resolute; she wouldn't change her mind that he was sure of. "I'll stay here with you then."

She reached up her good hand and gently stroked the side of his face. "No, Lee…"

"I'm not going to leave you," he said through clenched teeth as frustrated tears dampened his cheeks.

As much as it killed her, she nodded. "You have to. Letty needs you, Leon."

"_You_ need me."

She tilted her head and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I'll be okay. Mia will take care of me."

"Leon! You good to go?" Dom called. He had one arm around Letty to hold her up against him; she looked bad.

"Just one second," Leon answered, his voice still shaking like a leaf. "Don't make me do this, Michaela," he pleaded in a softer tone. "Don't make me leave you again."

Michaela kissed him once more. "You have to, Leon. We'll see each other soon, though, okay?" Her words trembled as she spoke. "I'll see you soon and I'll bring the others, okay? Mia and Jess and Vince and Lex. I'll bring them with me."

He sniffed, swiping at his eyes with one hand. "Okay," he replied quietly.

She stood on her toes to catch his lips with her own, savoring the taste of his kiss for a brief moment. She knew this would be the last time she'd see or hear from him for awhile. "I love you, Leon. Be good."

"Yeah," he said on a small humorless laugh. "I love you too, Princess. Always."

After one final kiss, he got in the car with Letty. Michaela stood back with Dom and Mia on either side of her and blew him a kiss as he pulled out. The three watched the car speed off until its taillights were no longer visible. Mia pulled Michaela into a quick hug. "Go get cleaned up, Micks," she said before pushing Michaela toward her house. "Then we'll see what I can do about your wrist."

Michaela nodded once before jogging to her house. She had just made it inside when she heard a car squeal to a stop in front of the fort. She ignored it, knowing it wasn't anyone she'd be interested in. She crumpled into a miserable heap by the door, gasping as the movement agitated the cuts on her stomach. The sounds of Brian and Dom's fight floated into the house but she ignored them. What did it matter now? Everything had already fallen to pieces.

The sound of another car approaching pulled Michaela from her break down. She knew that engine. She stood up as fast as she could and wrenched open the door only to find the white Jetta sitting in front of the fort. _Jesse_. She started toward him, ready to wrap him into a hug and just cry. She couldn't hear what he was saying, her brain was still buzzing with so many other things, but she knew he was scared; could tell by the tone of his voice. And then the loud roar of motorcycle engines mixed with the firing of guns filled the air. She dropped down to avoid getting shot and watched as Jesse fell to the floor, his body littered with bullet holes.

"No!" Michaela gasped, her words coming out hoarse and tired. Once the motorcycles were gone, she got to her feet and tripped her way over to where Mia was cradling Jesse in her lap.

Brian was already chasing after the Trans when she got to Jesse."Call an ambulance," Dominic ordered tossing his cell on the grass next to Michaela before stalking over to the Charger.

"No, Dominic! Come back!" Mia cried in a desperate attempt to keep her brother from getting into more trouble.

Michaela didn't bother trying to get him to come back. She knew he wouldn't. Instead, she grabbed the cell phone and dialed 911 before shoving it into Mia's hands. "Describe the injuries, Mi! You're the doctor!"

Mia nodded distractedly and listed off all the details she could, her voice never shaking once. The ambulance came quickly taking Jesse away and leaving the two girls sitting in front of the house, covered in their friend's blood. Mia let out a long sigh. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "We need to get to the hospital."

"Yeah," Michaela agreed, sniffling.

Mia stood up slowly before extending a hand to help her sister up. Michaela grabbed it with her good hand and used it as leverage to stand. Mia brushed her off gently before sighing. "You look awful, Mickey."

"That's weird because I feel amazing," Michaela shot back sarcastically. The girls shared a half-hearted smile before she sighed, "Let's go, Mimi."

Mia helped Michaela take a shower to wash all the dirt out of her wounds. Once the dried blood and dirt were off, the road rash on her arms and stomach didn't look too bad. The abrasions were already scabbing over and aside from being painful; Mia knew they were nothing to worry about. It was Michaela's swollen wrist that made her anxious. Michaela did not do well with casts. Sighing, Mia bandaged the road rash and gave her ice to put on her wrist. "Now, we can go."

"Finally," Michaela scoffed, anxious to see her brother.

Once they were on their way, they drove in silence for a moment before Mia couldn't take it anymore. "Why'd you do it, Mickey?"

"Do what?" There was more than one crazy thing she did that day.

"Stay behind like that. You didn't have to. Vince would've understood. He's has Alex," Mia explained softly. She would never have thought Michaela would leave Leon like that. Not after all they'd been through.

"I know," Michaela whispered, looking down at her hands. "But what if, God forbid, he doesn't make it? What if the last time I saw him was back there as they were lifting him up in the chopper?" She shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Mia nodded in understanding. "He'll pull through, Mickey. He has so much to fight for."

She frowned as she thought of when she'd last seen Alex. "She looked…off today, didn't she? Not all day, but towards the end."

"I think she was just scared. She hasn't seen Vince fight like that."

"No, it wasn't that. She had that sad puppy look again. Like something had really hurt her," Michaela explained quietly. "I hope it wasn't my brother."

* * *

Did you like it? Review please!

I'll try and update soon! Especially if I get reviews saying ya'll liked it! ;)

Thanks again for reading!

~Love Ink


	31. Pain and Time

Gah! Sorry it's been so long! Spring Break made me lazy! :\ I promise the chapter after this will be up a LOT sooner! :D Thanks for sticking with me!

Thanks so much to the wonderful reviewers:** xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, katespc123, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(Thanks again for you message! It reminded me I hadn't updated in awhile!)**, Kalvin** (Yes, it is unrealistic, but this is fiction and there's always medical exceptions and miracles. Guess this was one of them ;) )and **Rue Dawn**.

Thanks so much for your reviews and favorites, and alerts, etc! You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 31: Pain and Time_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela sat on the examination table waiting anxiously for the doctor to arrive. She'd just sat through an hour of x-rays and CT scans and all she wanted to do was go see her brother and Jesse. A tall blonde doctor came in looking younger than she would've liked. "Hello, I'm Dr. Kaine. I see you're here for a cast."

"Yes, sir," she said holding out her arm to him.

He put the x-rays up on the wall and studied them closely. "How'd you get this injury?"

"I jumped off a car," she said for what felt like the millionth time. She knew the reaction that was coming next.

"You jumped off a car and this was _all_ that happened?"

Michaela nodded. "Broken wrist, some major road rash, and a few fracture ribs."

"That's it?" he questioned as he gently observed her arm. "You've been checked for internal bleeding?"

"Yep."

"Pelvis fractures?"

"Roger that."

"And they found nothing?"

"Nada. I've been given just about every x-ray, scan, test they could think of. I'm fine. A medical anomaly, I guess."

The doctor whistled. "How the hell did you manage that? What did you land on?"

She shrugged. "Dunno. I just jumped and rolled. I probably landed on my wrist seeing as it's the size of a balloon."

"You're a lucky girl."

"That's what I hear," she said on a nod.

He just shook his head, staring at her with a mixture of awe and reproach. "You know a lot of kids die from car-surfing accidents."

"I've got thick skin," she murmured, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Not only was she an adult, but she hadn't been car-surfing for fun; she'd been trying to save her brother. "Are you going to put a cast on me or not, Doogie Howser?"

* * *

Alex stood at his bedside, unsure of what to do. It physically hurt her to look at him lying there still on the hospital bed. She sniffled as she felt a tear slip down her cheek. When had everything gotten so ugly? Shaking her head, she wiped at the tear and ran a hand through her hair.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look at him. He looked awful, all pale and hooked up to more machines than she could count. His right arm was the most heavily bandaged part of his body. When the nurse had explained the damages, her jaw had dropped. A gunshot wound, deep laceration to his arm, extensive nerve damage. She'd said his arm would never be the same.

Would their _relationship_ ever be the same, Alex wondered selfishly. It was hard to believe it would be. When she'd asked him if he trusted her and that look passed over his face…she felt liked her heart had been torn into pieces. Just looking at the ring made her feel sick to her stomach. It was lie. Everything he told her was a lie. Why had he asked her to marry him? She didn't understand.

"Hey you," a voice greeted. Alex whipped her head around to find Michaela standing at the door, a bright green cast on her arm. "Look, second one in a year. I should start a collection."

Alex gave her a soft smile as she wiped at the tears on her cheeks. "Green, huh?"

"Yeah. Doogie was out of blue," she said nodding as she stood next to Alex. "You all right?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. I guess. I don't know."

"What happened?"

"Did you know why he wouldn't tell me about the races?"

Michaela nodded her head in response. She felt her heart sink as Alex scoffed, pain flooding into her green eyes. Quickly, she tried to make it better. "Lex, this isn't about us."

"I know, I know," she said, trying to keep from getting angry. "I just…why don't you guys trust me?"

"It's a protection thing, Lex. It's not you personally, it's a defensive mechanism."

Alex shook her head, she didn't buy it. "Defense mechanism my ass," she muttered under her breath.

Michaela winced as her stomach twisted in a painful cramp. "Ouch, shit," she grumbled, sitting down in the chair. "Leave it to Mother Nature to make her appearance now. Gone for a month and then bam! Stupid."

Alex's eyes widened. "You skipped a period, Michaela?"

"Jeez. Say it louder, why don't you?" she grumbled in response. "Yeah, but it's probably just late. I've been stressed all right? Letty hasn't had hers either."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, we get them at the same time. It's just been an off couple of weeks, you know? And with ballet and everything, you know how irregular dancers can be." She rubbed a hand over her bandaged stomach, looking up at Alex who was still looking at her with wide, scared eyes. "What? Don't look at me like that! What's wrong with you?"

"Mickey, you might be pregnant."

"We use protection. I'm not an idiot. I'm on the pill and like I said, Letty's been off too. It's stress."

Alex shook her head slowly. "Letty might be pregnant too."

"Oh fuck off, Alex. Don't worry about it. I would've known by now. Don't pregnant people get morning sickness?"

"Weren't you sick this morning?"

"No, I was dehydrated this after_noon_," Michaela said, waving her off. "Morning sickness only happens in the morning. I'm not pregnant. End of story."

Alex could tell if she pushed it anymore, Michaela would get mad and she didn't need that to add on to the growing list of things that had gone wrong. "Did you tell the doctor?"

"No. The doctor was checking my _wrist_ not my stomach," Michaela explained with a roll of her eyes. The thought of the blood tests that had yet to be analyzed popped into her head, but she pushed it away. She would definitely know if she was pregnant. "Anyways, what are _you_ going to do?"

"I don't know. I need time to think."

"So you're going to leave?"

Alex nodded slowly. "My mom, dad, and sister just got back from their vacation. I might go stay with them for a little while. They've been gone for a few weeks so they don't know about…all this. It'll be nice to be somewhere I don't have to talk about it."

Michaela understood her need to get away. If Leon had done the same thing to her, she'd be running away too. "I don't know how I'm going to tell him."

"Oh, I'm going to tell him," she answered confidently. "I'm not just going to leave him here, Mickey. I'm mad at him, but I still love him. I'll wait until he wakes up."

Michaela took the time to really look over her friend. She'd never noticed how strong a person Alex was. Usually, she just saw her as the silly short girl who danced her way through life. Always smiling and making jokes. She never saw this serious, strong side of Alex. "You going to be okay?"

"I just need time," Alex repeated. She felt like a broken record. Who was she kidding? She didn't need time, she needed advice, but there's was no one to go to.

"Where are you going home to?" Michaela asked out of the blue when she realized she had no idea where Alex was running off to. "I mean, I don't think you ever told us where you're from."

She shrugged a shoulder. "No one asked."

"I'm asking."

"I'm from San Francisco, originally," Alex explained softly. "Grew up there with Ed and Ron right next door. When I was sixteen, I left to go on tour and our families moved up to Lake Tahoe so that's where I'll be going."

Michaela bobbed her head up and down as she listened. She was about to ask more questions when Mia entered the room, a sad look on her face. "How's Jess, Mi?"

"What's wrong with Jesse?" Alex asked before Mia could answer.

Mia sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. "Tran came by and shot him."

Alex gasped, tears coming to her eyes. She'd had a feeling the thing with Tran wasn't over at Race Wars; she just didn't think Tran would take it out on Jesse. "Is he all right?"

"I don't know," she answered on a shrug. "He's still in surgery."

"Where's Leon?" Alex questioned, surprised that her brother wasn't in there worried as hell. She watched as Michaela's jaw clenched and instantly regretted the question.

Michaela cleared her throat. "I...uh…I told him to leave with Let. I didn't want her going alone."

Alex blinked, surprised by the selfless act. Michaela was, by nature, a selfish person. She admitted it and was proud of it. "Does he know about Jess?" Alex asked.

She shook her head in response. "No," she said softly. "How am I supposed to tell him? He'll come right back here, Lex. He can't go to jail. I won't let that happen."

"This is his best friend, Michaela, his brother. You can't keep this from him."

"Dom will tell him when he gets there. By then, the coast will be clear. We'll be fine," she explained as though she'd thought it through.

Alex shook her head, that wasn't right. Leon was not going to be happy about that. "Michaela…"

"You tell him and I won't talk to you ever again, Alex. I know you think you're his sister, but you're not. Not really. So stay out of our business."

Alex tried not to be hurt over the harshness of Michaela's words. She _was_ right after all; she wasn't really Leon's sister nor did she have any real connections to the team or their family other than Vince, and that connection was about to be torn. "You're right," she said on a sigh. "No worries. I'll be gone before I'll get a chance to talk to Lee anyway."

"You're not leaving," Mia stated, her brown eyes taking on a stubborn look. "Don't listen to Michaela. She's being an idiot."

"I am not!" she shouted loudly. "I'm being right! Leon can't go to jail! They'll kill him in there! He's not big and scary like our brothers!"

While they took their argument outside, Alex's eyes fell back onto Vince. His brow was furrowed, but his eyes were still closed. She slowly made her way over to the bed. She wanted to grab his hand but couldn't bring herself to do it; instead she grabbed the bed railing. It took a minute, but his beautiful blue eyes opened slowly and landed on her. "Hi," she greeted softly.

" 'm surprised you're here," he croaked back, his eyes blinking open and closed as they adjusted to the bright light.

"I wanted to make sure you were all right."

He nodded, reaching up his good hand and running it through his hair. His movements were as slow as molasses, an indication that he wasn't all the way awake. " 'm fine," he said sarcastically. "You stayin' for awhile?"

"No," she replied honestly. She didn't want to get his hopes up. "Just wanted to make sure you're all right."

"Where you goin'?"

"I'm going to go to my parents' for a bit. They just got home from Europe so…"

He nodded again. "I figured. I really fucked up, huh?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Just get better, okay?" she asked, leaning over to press a kiss to his forehead. She noticed his eyes were slowly drooping closed, apparently the drugs hadn't worn off completely yet.

"Tiny, you'll come back to me, right?" he managed to ask just before he fell asleep.

A sad smile tilted up the corner of her mouth. "We'll see."

* * *

**Disclaimer 2:** I do not own Doogie Howser, but i LOVE Neil Patrick Harris. :) If you missed the reference, its an old 80s show about a kid doctor staring NPH :D

Thanks for reading! As always, your reviews are well loved and much appreciated! :)

~Love Ink


	32. Heads or Tails

Gah! Sorry it's been so long! Spring Break made me lazy! :\ I promise the chapter after this will be up a LOT sooner! :D

Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers:** Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, GallagherGirl4Evah, Violet201, katespc123, xsparklesthemagicunicornx, Rue Dawn, tfatfreak207, 1morning glory1, **and** fivealive123. **You make my day with your encouraging reviews! :)

Thanks so much for your reviews and favorites, and alerts, etc! You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Ronnie...if you don't remember who Ronnie is, check out Chapter 13 ;)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 32: Heads or Tails_

**By: LoveInk**

The next time Vince opened his eyes, he was met with Michaela's staring right back at him. She gave him a tired smile. "Hey big brother," she greeted softly. "How you feeling?"

"Stupid," he murmured in response. "Tiny leave?"

She nodded. "Sorry."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I had it comin'. I shouldn't 've treated her like that. She doesn't deserve it."

Michaela sighed in response. "She shouldn't have left you either," she said, a disappointed look on her face; whether she was more disappointed in Vince or Alex had yet to be determined. At the moment, she was equally disappointed in both. That didn't mean she had been just in saying those things to her. "I think I hurt her feelings too."

"What'd you say?" he asked, already glaring at his sister.

"There's a few things you need to be caught up on before we get to that," she hedged, sighing as she ran a hand through her hair. She quickly caught him up on everything that he'd missed. She could tell he was trying to be strong about Jesse, but she could see he was upset by it. "Jess is in some medically induced coma or something so he can heal. Doc's aren't sure he will though so that's…great."

Vince didn't appreciate her sarcasm, but he didn't comment on it. It was her coping mechanism, the only thing keeping her from falling apart was to make light of the situation. "What's that have to do with Alex?"

"She wanted to call Leon and tell him."

"Seems like a good idea to me."

"That was the general consensus," Michaela answered, bobbing her head up and down. "But I didn't want her to so I told her that she's not really his sister and this is none of her business."

Vince was at a loss for words. He just shook his head at his sister. "_Che é incasinato_, Micks. How could you say that shit to her?" (That's messed up.)

She winced grabbing at her stomach as a particular bad cramp twisted it in knots. She hissed in pain. "Shit," she said squeezing her eyes shut.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered, wincing again as she sat down. "Just cramps."

He didn't need to hear anything more. "Sorry."

Michaela shrugged, it wasn't his fault. They sat there in silence for a little while before he cleared his throat. "You think she'll come back to me?"

"I wouldn't," she answered bluntly. "But I'm also not her so…"

Doctor Kaine strode into the room, a file in his hand. He cleared his throat, nodding in greeting to Vince. "Ms. Catella, some of your test results are in. I'd like to discuss them with you."

"Sure thing, Doogie," she said pushing herself up from the chair. They stepped towards the door, but did not exit the room. She knew it was useless to keep things from Vince. She leant against the wall, glancing at the doctor with raised eyebrows. "What's up, Doc?"

The doctor didn't laugh or smile, he just sighed. "Michaela, were you…off at all on your monthly cycle?" he asked, his voice quiet.

A feeling of dread slowly crept into her stomach. "A little, but I've been under a lot of stress so…you know."

"Well, we found a relatively high amount of human chorionic gonadotropin in your system," he said, looking at her as though she should know what that means.

She raised an eyebrow, unsure if that was a drug or something else. "I don't do drugs."

"It's not a drug; it's a hormone, Ms. Catella. The pregnancy hormone."

Her face paled slightly as her mouth went dry. "But I've been having these wicked cramps and you know, I think I just got my…"

"You're probably having a miscarriage, Ms. Catella."

That was the last thing she heard before everything went blank. She came to in another hospital room. Groaning as another strong cramp hit, she pulled her knees up to her chest. An IV was hooked up to her arm, a heart monitor on her finger. Her eyes watched the drip of the clear liquid in the IV bag. She could feel Mia standing at her bedside and sighed. "Hey Mi."

"Hi," Mia said, leaning over the railing to softly push Michaela's hair out of her face. "You okay? You scared the crap out of your brother. Fool tore out all his tubes jumping out of bed to get you."

Michaela frowned, her arms were wrapped tightly around her stomach. "Is he okay?" she croaked.

She nodded in response, still stroking Michaela's hair. "He's fine, sweetie. Asleep now."

Michaela nodded absentmindedly. A tear slipped down her cheek. "I need a hug, Mimi," she said in a small voice.

Mia climbed onto the bed and wrapped Michaela in a tight hug like she used to when they were younger. Her fingers gently rubbed up and down Michaela's back. "You want to tell me what happened, Micks?"

"I lost Leon's baby," she admitted quietly. Hot tears soaked through Mia's tank as Michaela began to cry.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Mia mumbled, holding onto her tighter as she pressed a kiss to her temple. "It'll be okay."

"Mia," she sniffled, pulling away and looking up at her with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Yeah, hon?"

"I want Leon."

* * *

Alex was halfway to Lake Tahoe when her phone rang loudly. The ringtone was distinct, a happy corny melody playing in her gloomy car. She picked it up slowly. "Hey Lee," she said on a sigh.

"You know anything about Jess?" he asked quickly. She could hear his heavy breathing and knew he was running somewhere. The sound of a car door slamming told her she was right.

"Yeah, they found him," she said sadly. "But Lee…"

She heard him swear under his breath. "No news or good news."

"No news then."

"Fuck," he murmured in response. She could picture him running his hands through his hair. "Lay it on me, Shorty."

She was torn then. Michaela had specifically asked her not to, but she couldn't leave her brother hanging. "Tran shot him, Lee."

There was a long pause before she heard Leon suck in a deep breath. "Is he all right?" his question came out choked.

"I don't know," she answered around the lump in her throat. "Last I heard he was in surgery. I'm on my way to my parents' place right now, so I don't know anything."

"I'm going back. As soon as I get Letty to her cousin's house, I'm turnin' this car around," he replied through clenched teeth. "Fuck."

Alex sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You can't tell Michaela I told you, Lee. She made it very clear she didn't want me to."

"Why the hell not?"

"She wants to keep you away from the feds. Said you're not really my brother and I should stay out of it but I can't…I can't keep this from you."

She heard Leon clear his throat. "You did good, Shorty. And you _are_ my sister. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Mickey loves you. She's just angry and looking to take it out on other people."

"I know. Go get your ass over there. Take care of them for me. Call me when you get there so I know you're all right."

"Aight, Shorty. Thanks. Love you."

"You, too, Lee," she said before shutting her phone. She felt slightly better now that he knew, although she had a feeling Michaela would find out eventually who had told him. Sighing, she pressed the gas pedal down a little more, elevating her speed to a level that was sure to get her a ticket it she got caught. Before Vince, she never would've dreamed of going over the speed limit down the Grape Vine. Now here she was, going way over the speed limit.

It took her two hours less than it usually did to get to her parents' house. She parked in the massive parking lot of the lodge and wrinkled her nose at the huge main house. She's always resented her parents for exchanging their small city house in San Francisco for this massive country lodge. It had never really felt like home. Stepping into the huge living room, she let her bag slip off her arm and onto the floor. "Hello?" she called out.

"Look who decided to show up," a low voice greeted her in response.

She quirked an eyebrow, she knew that voice. "Shouldn't you be in Europe?"

Ronnie shrugged as he rounded the corner wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. His usually gelled hair was gel-free and lay flat on his head. This was the Ronnie she'd grown up with. Not the gelled up, faux-hawked, muscle tee wearing fool she usually saw. "Nah, I quit last week," he answered on a shrug.

Her eyes widened. She knew there'd been trouble within the band for awhile now, but she never saw this one coming. "Shut up."

His cocky grin got bigger. "Eddie is an asshole. He wanted to premiere his solo career while on tour with us. I don't need that shit. I get plenty of money off the song credits anyway. As long as I keep writing, I'll be fine." He nodded toward the magazine on the table. "Check it out. You get an honorable mention."

Alex raised an eyebrow at him as she read the cover. "Ronnie Romero leaves the Entourage. Was it the sibling rivalry? Money? or did his brother's broken relationship get in the way?"

"Wrong, wrong, and super incredibly wrong."

She rolled her eyes as she flipped to the main story. There was one picture of her with the brothers and a small blurb about how Ronnie's quitting might have been a result of bad blood between her and Eddie. "Wow. I'm going to be killed."

Ron chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Nah, you won't be. I had my publicist write something up on our fansite about it."

"Thank you," she said on a sigh of relief.

"I got your back, sis," he said winking at her. "What brings you here?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I just needed to be home."

Ronnie chuckled and opened his arms to her. "Hug?" Nodding, she wrapped her arms around him, grinning when his strong arms wrapped around her and squeezed tightly. After Vince, Ronnie gave the best hugs, she decided. "I know something's wrong. You don't come home for no reason. Spill it, baby girl."

She pulled away, digging through her pocket and holding out the ring to him. "He gave me this."

Ronnie's eyes widened. "No shit! That why you came home? To tell everyone? They're gonna flip, girl. Can I tell Ed?"

"No! Listen to me!" she said rolling her eyes at him.

He sat down on one of the couches and raised his eyebrows. "Go."

She told him everything. Every little detail. Ronnie was like a vault when it came to secrets, so she knew it was safe with him. When she was done, he sighed. "Damn, Lexi. I leave for a few weeks and your life goes to shit."

"Shut up, Ron," she said sticking her tongue out at him. "What do I do?"

"You hang out with me for a few days and then see how you feel, duh," Ronnie answered confidently. At her glare, he shrugged a shoulder. "Lex, I can't make this decision for you. I'll tell you what I know, though. I know that he loves you. I only met him once and I could tell. It's disgusting. And I know you, Lexi. I know you love him and I know you're running because you're scared and you think you need space, but you don't. Not really. You've already made your decision."

Alex sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I have not."

Ronnie rolled his eyes and pulled a quarter from his pocket. "We'll flip a coin then. Heads you stay with him and get married and live happily after, tails you break up and find a new guy."

"This is ridiculous. I can't base this on a coin toss."

"You can't seem to base it on anything else."

She gave him an angry glare before rolling her eyes. "Fine. Go ahead. Make the biggest decision of my life with a coin toss." With a cocky grin, he tossed the coin in the air, his hazel eyes never leaving her face. He caught it easily and slammed it onto the top of his hand. Her eyes widened. "Well, what is it?"

"When it was in the air, what were you hoping for?" he asked, his hand still covering the coin. The realization of her answer showed on her face and he grinned. Slipping the coin back into his pocket, he shrugged. "There's your decision."

"You're crazy," she said on a laugh. He was right though, as soon as he threw the quarter in the air all she could think was: _Please be heads, please be heads_.

Ronnie snorted and shrugged a shoulder. "Crazy brilliant."

* * *

Sorry its a little sad. :\ I hope you liked it though! Let me know in a review!

~Love Ink


	33. Coming Back

Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers:** Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, fivealive123, xsparklesthemagicunicornx, Rue Dawn **(Try it, it works! hehe)**, **and **Trickster707**. You all rock my socks! :)

Thanks so much for your reviews and favorites, and alerts, etc! You guys are all awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 33: Coming Back _

**By: LoveInk**

A week later…

Michaela watched Jesse from her place on the chair next to his bed. She'd long since been discharged, but she'd spent the last few days dozing either in a chair next to Vince's bed or Jesse's. It'd been a while since she'd gotten a good night's sleep. It was hard for her to sleep in the uncomfortable chair and impossible to sleep at home without Leon beside her.

"Move," she ordered the still form on the bed in front of her. He was too still for her liking. She wanted to shake him awake, dump water on him, something to make him move, to make him open his eyes. Everything would be all right if he just opened his eyes.

She felt her eyelids start to droop and rubbed at them, trying to keep herself awake. She curled up in the small chair, letting her eyes close for just a brief moment.

It took Leon almost a week to feel comfortable leaving Letty alone with her cousins. Letty finally had enough of him watching over her and practically kicked him out of the house. From there, he drove as quickly as he could to the border. Once in California, he didn't bother stopping at the fort, but drove straight to the hospital. After parking his car haphazardly, he ran into the lobby. The nurse looked at him with worry in her eyes. "Can I help you, Sir?"

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Jesse McCarthy, please?"

A sad smile crossed her face. "He's up on the third floor."

"Thank you," he said, nodding to the nurse.

He didn't bother waiting for the elevator, choosing instead to sprint up the stairs. He counted down the numbers until he reached the right one. Once at the door, he hesitated, his hand hovering over the handle.

Sucking in a deep breath, he summoned all his strength before entering the room. His eyes landed on Jesse. He slowly approached the bed, his fingers slowly curling around the railing. "Hey brotha," he croaked, a lump suddenly forming in his throat.

In her dream, Michaela heard his rough voice. It calmed her, lulling her into a deeper sleep. Her dream felt too real to be true. She swore she could even smell his cologne. Someone brushed a stray hair behind her ear and she inwardly cursed herself for being a light sleeper. Furrowing her brow, she squeezed her eyes shut tighter, willing the dream to come back. "Go away, Mia."

Her only response was a low, gruff and all too familiar chuckle. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch; it couldn't be. She opened her eyes slowly and was met with a pair of beautiful green eyes looking back at her. "Hey Princess," he said, reaching out a hand to softly stroke her cheek.

Without thinking, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a tight hug. The tears came before she could stop them. "You're here," she sobbed into his neck. "You're really here."

He held her securely against him, rubbing a hand up and down her back as he kissed her temple. She let him go to get a good look at him, holding his face in her hands. A part of her thought she was still dreaming and then he kissed her, long and hard. She could feel his tears gathering on her fingers as he held her close. There was no way a kiss like that could be a dream.

They pulled back and just stared at each other. Only a few days had passed since they'd last seen each other, but it felt like years. His fingers gently traced over her face. "Hi," she said, her voice still choked by tears.

He chuckled quietly. "Hey Princess."

"How did you know?" she asked, still shocked he was there.

Leon shrugged a shoulder, a smirk turning up the corner of his lips. "My sister told me."

A guilty look washed over Michaela's face. It was clear Alex hadn't just told him about what happened to Jesse, but also about what she said. She wasn't surprised Alex told him, but she was a little angry about it. She deliberately went behind her back and told him anyway even after she'd specifically said not to. "I told her…"

"She's a terrible liar," Leon cut her off easily. "As soon as I asked her about Jess, I knew something was wrong."

Michaela sucked in a sharp breath, she felt like she'd been stabbed in the chest. "You called _her_ instead of _me_?"

"Police aren't tracking her, Princess," he replied quickly. She frowned, still hurt by the snub. It made sense for him to call Alex, but it still hurt. He looked over his shoulder at Jesse. "How's Jess?"

"No one seems to know. Some say he'll wake up soon, others say he won't wake up at all," she said, studying his back as he approached Jesse's bedside. His shoulders were tight as his long fingers grabbed onto the bed railing. "How's Letty?"

Leon shrugged a shoulder but didn't turn around when he answered her. "All right, I guess. I took her to the hospital in Mexico, waited for a few hours while she was seen and when she came out…she wouldn't talk to me."

Michaela's hand unconsciously rubbed over her stomach. Alex's words played over in her head _Letty might be pregnant too._ That might be why she wouldn't say anything to Leon. Had she gotten luckier and been able to keep it? She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "She get to her cousin's all right?"

He nodded as he sat down at the foot of Jesse's bed. "Yeah. I offered to take her back with me 'cause her cousins are shady as hell, but she wanted to wait for Dom. I hope he gets to her soon."

"She'll be fine. Family's family. No one will bug her," Michaela mumbled before heaving a big sigh. She knew she would have to tell Leon what happened to her. "Lee, I have to tell you something."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Princess?"

She wished he wouldn't look at her like that. Like she could do no wrong. Like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. After she told him what had happened, he was going to hate her. That she was almost sure of. She couldn't handle that. Not right now. Not when her world was just starting to get put back together. "I love you."

He gave her an inquisitive look as though he knew that wasn't what she'd wanted to tell him originally, but he didn't say anything. He gave her a small smile and nodded. "You too, Princess."

* * *

Vince flipped through the car magazine Mia had brought for him while she flipped aimlessly through her own gossip magazine. Periodically, she would sigh as if something were bothering her and then turn the page loudly. He glared at her, he was sick of all the sighing and moping. "What the hell are you sighing about?"

"Nothing," she said though it was clear it wasn't nothing. She grabbed another magazine and flipped it open. A sharp gasp left her lips when she saw who was in it. "Oh shit!"

"What?" he asked, sitting up to get a better look. "What happened?"

On the page filled with paparazzi pictures was one of Ronnie and Alex sitting on the shore of a lake talking. Alex had that sad smile on her face that Mia had seen many times in the short period when she and Vince weren't together. The caption under the photo read, "Did Ronnie steal Eddie's girl before he left the band?". Mia shook her head in silent answer to the captions question, it was clear by Alex's face that it was not Ronnie who had stole her heart. "It's Alex," she said with a soft smile.

Vince's eyes widened. Had she gotten back together with Eddie already? It hadn't been that long since he'd last seen her! "With Eddie?"

Mia laughed and shook her head before handing him the magazine. "With Ronnie."

He traced his thumb gently over her face. Dressed in a simple tank top and jean shorts, she was beautiful. Although it was pulled back in a pony tail, her hair looked shorter than usual. "She looks sad," he commented, his voice rough and soft.

"She _is_ sad," a voice interjected from the doorway.

Mia screamed when she saw Leon standing there. She jumped up from her chair and ran at him. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

Leon had never gotten a hug like this from Mia, so he wasn't quite sure how to react. He awkwardly patted her back. "Good to see you too, Mia."

"I can't believe you're here! Does Mickey know? Was she the one who finally called you? Did you hear about Jess? Have you heard from Lex?"

He smirked, this was the Mia he was used to. "Yes, she knows. Alex told me everything."

Vince fought the urge to laugh. That was his girl, always doing the right thing. "How is she?"

Leon didn't have to ask to know who he was talking about. He'd just gotten off the phone with Alex after reassuring her a million times that he was fine, he'd asked about her life. He let out a lengthy sigh. "She's…alive."

"That all you're gonna give me?" Vince questioned, his tone a little angry. Mia took the opportunity to slip out of the room; she'd ask Leon for real information later.

"You think you deserve more?" Leon shot back as he sat down in the chair next to his bed. He shook his head at Vince. "Man, I warned you."

He hung his head down as he nodded. "I know."

"She misses you," Leon admitted quietly. "It's killing her that she can't be here right now."

"She can be. She's not that far away."

He shook his head. "Nah, V. She needs some space."

"I'm surprised you're mad at me right now. If the situation was reversed, I'd be about to kick your ass."

Leon shrugged a shoulder. "Looks like you're pretty banged up already. Plus, she wasn't crying when we talked. You make her cry, and then we'll see."

Vince sighed and ran his good hand through his hair. He'd seen her cry enough; he didn't want to go through it again. "If I get her back, it won't happen."

Leon smirked. "Not a question of "if", it's a question of "when". You wait for her and she'll come back. I can promise you that. You're lucky."

It took Vince a second to respond. His mind was still reeling from what Leon had said. He sounded way to confident that she was going to come back to him. "How's that?"

"If the situation was reversed, Mickey wouldn't take me back. Not for the shit you pulled."

Vince chuckled as he nodded in agreement. "You honestly think she's going to take me back?"

"Yeah, dawg," Leon said bobbing his head up and down enthusiastically. "So you better think up one hell of an apology if you want to get that ring back on her finger."

* * *

You like it? Let me know in a lovely review! :)

~Love Ink


	34. Good News, Bad News

Gah! Sorry for uploading and reuploading but for some reason this chapter just didn't want to be posted! :(

So this chapter is particularly short, so I figured I'd post it up earlier than usual! :)

Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers:** Rue Dawn **(Sorry about the cliffhangers! I didn't notice that I'd done more than one in a row!), **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Violet201, **and** GallagherGirl4Evah**! Your reviews are all so nice and encouraging! Thank you! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 34: Good News, Bad News_

**By: LoveInk**

Three days later…

Vince stared at his braced arm and sighed. The nurse had been walking him through physical therapy exercises, but it hurt like a bitch and he was starting to wonder what the point in doing it was. It wouldn't fix things with Alex. Wouldn't bring her back. Sure, Leon had assured him countless times that she was going to come back, but he was getting tired of waiting. The older nurse, Dory, walked over to him with a small smile on her face. She set his food down in front of him. "You're looking skinny, Vincent. Eat up."

Vince nodded, rolling his eyes at her. "Thanks."

"You know, I have this hunch that something good is going to happen to you today, Vincent."

"Is that right?" he asked, humoring her. "Something to do with me getting out of here?"

She nodded. "Papers were drawn up this morning, sweetheart. You should be outta here tomorrow," she said chirped. "You happy?"

He shrugged a shoulder. It was good news, sure, but he could think of better. "Hell yeah."

* * *

Michaela paced the floor in front of Jesse. She had to tell Leon. Had to say something. But how do you tell someone you lost their child? Even if it was an accident, he was going to blame her. And he was right to, too. She should've known. It was her body after all.

She glanced at Jesse's still form. "What do I do, Jess?" she asked as if he would answer. She thought of what he'd told her before, the way to get Leon to listen to her about why she made him leave Vegas. _Just yell it at him_. She smiled, not good advice in this case, but she still loved Jess for that.

The door opened, revealing a tired looking Leon. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her pace. The act was so unlike her, it was almost comical. "You're pacing."

Michaela stopped short and nodded. "Yeah."

"Why?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I can't sit in that chair anymore," she lied.

"Why don't you tell me what's really on your mind, Princess?" he asked on a sigh as he sat down in the aforementioned chair.

She inhaled deeply as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Remember when I jumped off that truck?"

He winced as the image came into his head along with the feeling of pure fear. "Vividly."

"Lee, I was pregnant."

Leon blinked as the words sunk in. "Was?"

"Apparently pregnant women aren't meant to jump off trucks," she joked, her voice shaking as tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "I lost the baby…our baby."

He felt his heart sink in his chest. "Are you all right?"

She nodded quickly, a few tears escaping down her cheeks. "I'm fine," she mumbled. She couldn't tell whether his reaction was good or bad. He stood slowly, and she panicked, afraid he was leaving. "Leon, I didn't know, I swear. I just thought I skipped a period because I was stressed or something. I didn't even think. I mean, we're always so careful…"

He didn't head out though; he headed towards her and pulled her to his chest. She could feel his nose nuzzle her head as he buried his face into her hair. "I'm so sorry, Princess," he murmured against her hair. "I should've been here."

A sob escaped Michaela's lips as she clung to him tighter. This was why she loved him. She had just done one of the stupidest things she'd ever done in her life, yet he was still there to hold her. He was even apologizing to her! "Not your fault," she managed to say through her tears. "I'm sorry. I was so stupid. I should've known…"

Leon pulled away and studied her face. He shook his head from side to side slowly. "Don't be sorry. We have plenty of time to have kids, all right?"

"Yeah? You're not mad?"

He shook his head again. "No, baby. I'm just glad you're alive," he whispered, brushing her tears away with his hands. "We'll have our chance some day, now just wasn't the right time."

"God, I love you," she said on a light laugh. Relief washed through her, his reaction was better than she could've ever hoped for.

Leaning forward, he caught her lips in a soft, warm kiss that showed her just how much he loved her more than his words ever could.

* * *

Alex sat on the beach, her feet buried in the warm sand. It felt good to be back in LA; almost like she'd come back home. Her fingers played aimlessly with the chain around her neck. She wasn't used to wearing necklaces, but she hadn't wanted to lose the engagement ring so she kept it around her neck for safekeeping. She heard the sand crunch as someone approached her from behind. "Figures you'd come here," Leon's gruff voice commented as he threw himself onto the sand next to her.

"Mmm," she hummed back in response. She'd called him on her way up to see if she could talk to him before seeing everyone else. "How are things?"

"Shitty," he murmured on a sigh. "You hear about Mickey?"

"No. What happened?"

He let out another sigh before running his hands through his hair. "She lost our baby during the heists."

Alex tore her eyes away from the sunset and let them settle on him. He looked exhausted and worried. His posture was slumped and bags seemed to have taken permanent residence under his eyes. She leant her head against his shoulder to show him she was there for him. "I'm sorry, Lee."

"Don't be," he said on a shrug. "It's a blessing in disguise, you know? We're not ready for kids."

She only nodded in response. "Speaking of kids…"

He looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "You?"

"I went to the doctors because I've been feeling sick. They took some blood and are running tests. Said it'll take a few days."

An amused smile spread across his face. He wasn't ready for kids of his own, but he sure as hell would love to be an Uncle; that meant all the fun and none of the discipline. "Is that what made your decision? The fact that you may have a demon seed planted in you?"

Alex hit his arm as she scowled at him. "No. My decision was made the second I walked out of that hospital room; I was just too stupid to see it at first. Ron helped me with that actually."

"Oh yeah? What pearls of wisdom did that meathead have?" he asked as he placed a tooth pick in his mouth. He'd never met Ronnie before, but had seen enough pictures and heard enough stories to develop his own opinion of him.

"None of your business," she said rolling her eyes at him. He'd only make fun of Ron for the coin toss thing. "How's Jess?"

The grin on Leon's face quickly faded. "I don't know, Lex. They keep talking about life support and DNRs and all that crap. Most of it goes over my head, but Mia gets it. He's a donor so they're pushing for us to take him off it," he explained bitterly.

"Did the doctor's say there's a chance he'll wake up?"

"They don't know. No one seems to know anything in that fuckin' hospital," he said on a heavy sigh as he ran a hand over his face. "You tell anyone you're back?"

"You. Obviously."

Leon nodded. It made sense. If Mia had known, there was no way she could keep it to herself. "Coyote's got one more day in the hospital, you know?"

She paused as she thought of what that meant. One more day in that stupid bed, in that ugly room, and then he'd be home. That meant one more day where she could take control of the situation, where he couldn't do very much but stay in bed. It was certainly an advantage; if something went wrong, she could just leave and he couldn't chase after her. "You think I should go?"

He shrugged indifferently before he stood up. "Shorty, it's up to you. It'll probably get you more privacy. I can block the door for you and no one will eavesdrop. 'cept me of course."

"Yeah, maybe," she said on a breath. She ran her hands through her hair as she sighed. "I just want everything back to the way it was before all this mess, you know? We were all happy."

He held out a hand to help her up before pulling her into a hug and kissing her cheek. "You and me both."

* * *

Short and sweet and a little sad (sorry)! Let me know what you think!

The next chapter is happier, I promise! :)

~Love Ink


	35. Much Better

Here's another short chapter (sorry!), but I didn't want to add it onto the one before and it doesn't fit in well with the second one…I also love it by itself. So my apologies for it being short, but the next will be up soon! :)

Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers:** Rue Dawn,** **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(I'm glad you like her!)**, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, tfatfreak207**,and** Miss. Lori MacManus**! Your reviews are all so sweet and inspiring! Thank you! :D

I normally don't put songs in my posts, but I listened to these **three **on repeat when I wrote this (and most of the other Alex and Vince scenes too) ;):

_"The Light" by Sara Bareilles_, _"_

_Walk Away" by The Script_

_"Marry Me" _by _Train._

They are all AMAZING songs and I highly recommend them. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 35: Much Better_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex walked into the hospital, her heart beating hard against her ribs. She slowed down at the desk, approaching it nervously. She was a few minutes past visiting hours. The older nurse at the desk recognized her and grinned. "Oh I just _knew_ something good was going to happen today," she said, standing from her chair and walking around the front desk.

"Umm is it too late to visit him?"

The nurse waved her off. "No, sweetheart, that boy's been waiting on you a long time, honey. Who am I to deny him a happy reunion? C'mon now, follow me."

She smiled gratefully at the nurse and followed after her, listening while she talked. "I'm Dory, Vince's nurse. He's a tough one, that boy."

"I know," Alex replied softly.

"And man, does he love you. I only recognized you because that fool has this picture of you he's always lookin' at. His sister found it in some gossip magazine. Did you know you were in those?"

She'd seen the paparazzi snapping pictures two days before, but didn't even consider the fact that Vince might see one. "Those suckers are fast."

Dory laughed as she nodded. "He loves you something fierce, that man. You did the right thing coming back."

Alex let out a long breath feeling more confident with her choice with every word Dory said. "Thanks Dory."

"Mm-hmm, think nothing of it," she replied as they came upon the door. Alex just stared at the metal handle, shifting nervously. Dory nodded to the green door. "Go ahead."

Every insecurity she was feeling before came rushing back in front of that ugly green door. What if he didn't want her back? What if he was so angry with her for leaving that he rejected her? What if she got there and couldn't think of what to say? "I don't know what to say…"

Dory set a warm hand on her shoulder. "Sure you do. It's right in here," she said, pointing at her heart. "You love him, honey. I know that, he knows that, you know that. Just go in there and make things right. I have faith in you. Plus, that little one is going to need his father."

Alex looked at her with wide eyes. How could Dory know about that? _She _didn't even know for sure yet! "I'm not…"

"Shush, child," Dory said, winking at her. "Go ahead. Get in there."

Sucking in a deep breath, Alex pushed on the handle of the door and took one step into the room. There he was, scowling at his dinner plate. He hadn't heard her come in, so she took a moment to study him. He looked a little better than she'd left him He was scruffier though, his hair a lot longer and shaggier and he was skinnier too. With a grunt, he pushed the small table with his dinner on it away before he grabbed the remote. She took a few more steps, her flip flops slapping loudly on the linoleum.

His eyes fell on her, widening in disbelief. She smiled sheepishly. "Hi," she greeted softly.

Vince swallowed hard. She was there. She'd come back to him, just like Leon had said she would. His stomach did a flip flop. "You came back," he said on a breath.

She nodded slowly as she approached the bed. "I never should've left," she admitted, sitting down on the edge of his mattress. Her hand reached out to gently stroke his face. "How are you feeling, big guy?"

"A hell of a lot better now," he admitted, his good hand resting atop of hers to make sure it was real. He found her small hand to be warm underneath his own, yes this was real. She'd really come back to him. "Why?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Because I love you. No matter how stupid you act sometimes."

He smiled before shaking his head at her. "Tiny, I'm not good enough…"

"Shut up," she cut him off, her green eyes sharp as they glared at him. She lifted her hand from his cheek to unlatch her necklace. She slipped the ring off of it before sliding it back onto her finger.

His eyes widened a little more. Not only had she come back to him, but she'd put the ring back on. She was agreeing to marry him again. To spend the rest of her life with him despite everything he'd done. "You shouldn't want to…"

"Stop talking, Vince," she interrupted. Then a thought drifted into her mind. She'd put the ring on assuming the offer was still there…she'd never thought to ask him if he still wanted to marry her. "Unless you don't want to…"

He took her hand in hers, weaving their fingers together before squeezing it. "No, no, I want to. I'm just surprised you still do, too."

Alex leaned forward and caught his lips in a sweet, soft kiss. "I do."

Vince smiled, his fingertips gently tracing over her cheek. "This isn't the right place for those words," he stated, smiling when she giggled before pulling her in for another kiss. As they kissed, she crawled on the bed to get closer to him. His hand buried itself in her hair as his tongue darted into her mouth. He'd forgotten just how good she tasted. "I love you," he mumbled against her lips.

"Mmm," she hummed in silent agreement. She sat back on her feet, putting enough space between them so she could really look at his face. She wanted to see his reaction when she asked her next question. "Do you trust me?"

This time, he didn't even flinch before he answered. "Yes, Tiny. I trust you. Marry me."

She rolled her eyes at him, a small laugh escaping her lips. She leant forward and caught his lips in another quick kiss. "I already put the ring back on, fool," she teased, stretching out next to him, her head resting against his shoulder.

His good hand idly played with her hair. "I know, it's just…I've been planning on saying that to you for days now. Leon told me to think of a good apology to win you back."

"A week and that's all you came up with?" she teased, her slender fingers tracing designs on the front of his hospital gown.

He chuckled and shrugged a shoulder. "Some more groveling was involved. A shitload of sorry's that you would've hated…you know standard stuff. That line was the closer, of course."

She laughed, the laugh vibrating through him and making him laugh too. "It's a good one."

"Yeah, you kind of ruined it," he joked, chuckling when she playfully hit his chest.

Rolling her eyes at him, she sat up and pulled the table with his food on it towards them. "What'd you get?"

Vince smiled as he slid his good arm around her waist, his thumb gently grazing her hip under her shirt. "Crap," he answered, leaning his chin on her shoulder. "Green Jell-o."

"Yum," she said grabbing the small bowl and spooning a little into her mouth. She got another spoonful and held it up to his mouth. "Eat, skinny."

He raised an eyebrow at her but took the bite anyway. "Skinny?"

"Uh-huh," she said around another mouthful of jell-o. "You've lost some weight, don't think I didn't notice."

Vince sighed before pressing a kiss to her shoulder. Her reappearance still bothered him though. If he'd been her, he would've walked away a long time ago and not have thought twice about. "Why didn't you just walk away?"

She sighed, she knew the question would come up eventually and she'd been thinking about good answers to it. At the moment, she couldn't remember any of them, so she went with the first thing that came to her mind. "I couldn't," she answered honestly. She took in a deep breath as she shrugged. "I thought I'd try, you know? Go to my parents', hang out with Ronnie, and try and forget everything. I just couldn't. You're a part of me, big guy. Without you, I don't feel…right."

He chuckled as she rambled; she was no poet but her point came across loud and clear. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah," she answered on a sigh, leaning into his chest. For the first time since she'd left, she felt whole and unbelievably happy. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She turned her head to kiss his cheek. "Much better."

* * *

Did you like it? Was it too cheesy? Let me know in a review! :D

~Love Ink


	36. All You Need to Know

Thanks so much to my wonderful reviewers:** xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(You go to see them! Lucky! :) I listen to their CDs a _lot_ while writing and I love "You Won't Feel a Thing!" I saw Leno interview Vin Diesel and I'm just so excited!)** Miss. Lori MacManus, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, **and **sweetist of sin**! Your reviews are all so sweet and encouraging! Thank you! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 36: All You Need to Know_

**By: LoveInk**

Two days later…

Vince woke up happy for the first time in days. Alex was cuddled against him as best she could, her head resting on his bandaged chest, one leg thrown over his. He turned his head to press a kiss to her forehead, his good hand gently playing with her hair. His other arm was in a tight brace against his chest, not the most comfortable of things, but it made it hurt a little less. She stirred slightly, her head moving so it fell heavier on his gunshot wound. He hissed in pain and she was up, just like that. "What? What happened? Did I hurt you?" she asked, her green eyes wide.

He chuckled slightly. "I'm fine, Tiny. Relax." Alex gave him a look that told him she wasn't buying it. He sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm hurt. Everything hurts."

Her face softened and she lay back down, her head on the pillows this time instead of his chest leaving a space between them. "I'm sorry, big guy," she murmured, her hand gently stroking his cheek. She scooted closer and kissed his cheek. "You hungry?"

"What kind of a question is that?" he shot back, an eyebrow raised.

She giggled, sitting up with a groan. She stretched her arms over her head. Vince admired the smooth expanse of her back. He reached out his good hand to gently brush a knuckle over the curve of her lower back. She looked at him over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He sat up and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to him. He placed a hot kiss on her shoulder, smiling against the soft skin when she let out a soft moan. "Vince…stop…" she murmured.

His hand rubbed up and down her stomach, it was softer than usual; the tight muscles that were usually there seemed to have gone soft over the brief amount of time they were apart. He didn't mind though, it was a nice change. "You don't want me to stop," he stated, his teeth scraping across her skin.

She turned around and pushed him back to the bed. Sliding a leg over his torso she settled down on his lap. Leaning over him, she pressed a sexy kiss to his lips. "I don't," she mumbled against his lips, "but last I heard, your doctor said no physical stuff for the first week." With that she slid off of him and sauntered toward the door. "Sorry."

"Woman, you are going to kill me!" he shouted after her.

She headed into the kitchen and wasn't surprised to see Leon sitting there, an empty bowl of cereal in front of him. After Vince got out of the hospital, they'd all taken to staying at Alex's place. It was closer to the hospital and had more than enough room to fit all of them. Leon and Michaela had taken over the guest room while Mia, with Fisher's permission, was staying in his room.

"Did I _say_ you could eat my cereal?" she teased, skipping around the kitchen to fix her own.

"Who owns Frosted Flakes over the age of ten?" he sassed back.

"You didn't seem to be complaining when you ate a whole bowl," she shot at him as she poured the sugary cereal into a bowl just as Vince came up behind her.

Wrapping his good arm around her, he pulled her in against his chest. "That was cruel," he murmured in her ear as she dumped milk into the cereal.

She just gave him a naughty grin and handed him the cereal bowl. "You weren't being very nice either."

Leon flipped his phone open and then shut as he tried to tune out what Alex and Vince were saying. He had another issue to deal with. He knew he had to call her, that if he didn't, she'd be mad…but if he did, Michaela would kill him. He looked up as Vince sat down at the table across from him. "What's up, Lee? You've got this weird look on his face."

"I have to call Lauren," he answered miserably.

Vince chuckled, shaking his head at Leon. He'd met Jesse's big sister, Lauren, once a few years ago when she'd come to stay with them for a weekend. From what he remembered, the girl was crazy and aggressive. She'd been trying to get on him and Leon that whole weekend. He knew Leon had given in, but he had stood strong; he didn't mess with other peoples' siblings, a rule Leon didn't seem to have. "What's the problem?"

"Michaela hates her."

"I bet she does," he commented around a mouthful of cereal.

Alex sat down next at the table between them. "Who's Lauren?"

"Jesse's sister," Vince answered easily.

"Oh," she said, her eyebrows shooting up. "I didn't know Jess has a sister."

"He doesn't like to talk about her because she's insane."

"That's not why," Leon defended, rubbing a hand over his face.

She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "You fucked her, didn't you?"

Vince laughed loudly at his fiancee's dirty mouth while Leon looked at her in shock. Sex was a taboo subject between them and he rarely heard her swear when she wasn't angry. "Want some soap for that mouth?"

She giggled and shook her head. "I'm right though, huh?" she said with a small grin. "You two had a thing and Mickey is not cool with that."

Leon sighed as he nodded. "She was my sister's best friend. I met Jesse through her. We were close for a really long time, but we never…dated. We just messed around. She came to Las Vegas looking for a relationship, but I already had Michaela. She used every trick in the book to try and break us up, but Mickey knew better; she didn't buy into it."

"Or she just wanted to win," Vince said with a shrug.

Alex scowled at him. "I'm sure she doesn't think that way. She trusts Lee."

"There's just one small thing that I haven't exactly told her," Leon admitted, hanging his head.

Vince smirked, he had a feeling he knew what it was. "You didn't tell her about last time Lauren was here."

"We weren't together!" Leon shouted in response. "I was single and Mickey knows I wasn't exactly picky about the girls I took home with me…"

"Manwhore," Alex murmured under her breath.

He glared at her. "When we were talking about what happened in between Vegas and here I just…glossed over it."

"You're so fucked," Vince commented with a snort. "That's why you don't shit where you eat, man. Sisters are always off limits."

"What about her?" Leon said, glaring pointedly at Alex.

Vince scoffed. "She wasn't your sister when we started dating, stupid."

"He's got a point," Alex put in on a nod.

"Shut up," he murmured, leaning his hand on his fist and looking absolutely miserable. "What do I do?"

"I'll call her," Vince offered, holding out his hand for the phone. "She can't get mad at you if I'm the one who does it."

Leon shook his head. "Then Lo will be mad at me."

"So?"

Alex smirked. "He doesn't want her to be mad at him either. She must've messed you up real bad before you left Arizona."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Alex knew him too well. His history with Lauren was a roller coaster. She'd teased him for years while they were growing up; leading him on for weeks and then turning him down with some dumb excuse. If he showed any interest in another girl, Lauren would sabotage whatever relationship he tried. Regardless of the way she treated him, he'd always have a soft spot for her. "It's complicated."

"Well, someone has to call her. Her brother is in the hospital."

Leon let out a long lengthy sight before hitting the call button. "Hey Lolo," he greeted.

Alex watched him as he talked, noticing the change in his voice, the change in his posture. His tense position relaxed as the conversation went on, his voice going rougher, softer. Michaela strode into the kitchen, raising an eyebrow as Leon immediately got up and walked out to the backyard. "Who's that?" she asked, letting her dance bag slide off her shoulder and onto the ground.

"Lauren," Vince answered easily.

Michaela closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't have heard him right. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Lauren, Jesse's sister," he clarified.

Her blue eyes grew dark with hatred as she clenched her teeth tightly together. "Oh hell no," she ground out moving towards the backdoor.

Vince reached out a hand, grabbing her casted wrist to stop her. "_Rilassarsi_," he ordered, his voice filled with authority. "Jesse _e ferita, ha bisogno sapere_." (_Relax. Jesse's hurt, she needs to know.)_

"_Stronzata_," she replied on a snort. "_Lei non si preoccupa di _Jesse. _Lei si preocupa solo di _Leon." (_Bullshit, she doesn't care about Jesse. She only cares about Leon.)_

"_Che casa succeed se la situazione si e invertita? __Non vuoi sapere?_" (_What if the situation was reversed? Wouldn't you want to know?)_

"Lauren McCarthy _non m'avreste chiamata_," she said shaking her head. "Not in a million years. You don't know what you're talking about so fuck off." (Jennah _would never call me._)

Alex's eyes widened as Vince stood up from his chair and stalked over to his sister. "_Non parlare a me come quella_, Michaela Marie!" he yelled at her. "_Sto cercando di aiutarti. _So stop being a bitch and listen to me!" (Don't talk to me like that! I'm trying to help you!)

"Woah, woah, woah!" Alex shouted, stepping between them. "Cut it out! Both of you! Vince, go away. Michaela, we're going to talk."

Michaela scoffed at her and shook her head. "No, we're not. Tell Leon to go fuck himself. I'll be at the hospital with Jess because _I_ actually care about him," she stated indignantly. Turning on her heel, she stormed out of the house.

Leon heard the door slam as he walked in through the back. He winced slightly. "Please tell me that was Mia."

"Nope," Alex answered, shaking her head at him. "She had some…choice words for you."

Vince was still trying to calm down from the anger Michaela's back talk had caused him to feel. He felt Alex rub a hand down his back and breathed a little easier. "She told us to tell you to go fuck yourself," Vince repeated with a shrug.

Leon let out a long breath. "I am so fucked."

Alex fought the urge to hit her fiancée for nodding so exaggeratedly and making an already nervous Leon even more nervous. "What did Lauren say?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"She's on her way," he said running his hand through his hair. "She lives in Santa Barbara now so it shouldn't take too long."

"Better get to the hospital quick and just grovel, brother," Vince suggested, wrapping his good arm around Alex's shoulders.

Leon looked at him reluctantly before looking to Alex. He wished Michaela was as easy going as Alex sometimes. Something like this wouldn't even faze her. "You're fuckin' lucky, V," he murmured under his breath as he was leaving.

Alex looked up at Vince, one eyebrow raised. "What the hell does that mean?"

Vince smiled at her, leaning over to catch her lips in a quick kiss. He knew exactly what Leon meant, and he agreed too. Not all girls were as understanding as Alex was. Nor would they have taken him back as easily as she had. He was damn lucky, something he never would forget. "No idea," he muttered, pulling her closer. "He's crazy."

"Hmm," she said, looking up at him suspiciously. The thin fingers of her left hand slowly traced designs on his pec, the engagement ring sparkling with every movement. "I love when you speak Italian."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah?"

She looked up at him through her long lashes. "Mm-hmm. It's very hot."

"_Sei bellissima e ti amo_," he murmured, leaning to press a kiss to each of her cheeks. "I_o sono l'uomo piu fortunate in vita, perche tu sei mio_." (You are beautiful and I love you. I am the luckiest man alive because you're mine)

A slow smile spread across her face. "I'm beautiful and you love me and something about being yours…that's all I understood."

His kisses trailed down her neck. "That's all you need to know."

* * *

So? What do you think? Let me know in a lovely review! :)

~Love Ink


	37. Women

Thanks to **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Rue Dawn **(I'm glad you loved the sweetness)and **GallagherGirl4Evah** for taking time to review! I love reading them and they encourage me to write more, faster. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and now introducing...Lauren.

Italics is for a _flashback_... just in case ;)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 37: Women_

**By: LoveInk**

"I'm going to lose him, Jess," Michaela said, trying her best not to cry. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "I know Lauren's your sister and everything, but she's a bitch. And you know she has it out for Leon and he…he _loves_ her. You know that. So what the fuck am I going to do? I feel like I just got him back and now I'm going to lose him all over again."

She stopped and ran a hand through her long hair as she leant back in her chair. Studying the ceiling, she started counting the tiles trying to keep her memories from when Lauren visited Vegas at bay. One filled her mind and sent a fresh wave of tears down her cheeks.

"_Michaela, stop! It was nothing!" Leon called after her. She could hear him chasing her down the stairs but refused to turn around. She'd seen enough. They'd been way to close for it to be nothing. Their noses had almost been touching and her hands were…she squeezed her eyes shut; she didn't even want to think about where her hands had been. To top it off, he'd taken her to _their_ spot on the roof! Somewhere that was special and private for them. _

_He caught up to her; grabbing her wrist and making her turn around. "Get off of me, Leon!" she shouted, struggling against his grip. _

"_Michaela, it was nothing!" he insisted._

"_No," she said, shaking her head furiously from side to side. Tears were falling faster than she could stop them. "That was _not_ nothing! You love her, Leon! God, it's so obvious! What are you _doing_ with me? I'm not the one you want." _

_He pushed away the hair from her face, his fingers brushing away her tears. "Yes you are. Can't you see that?"_

_She shook her head again. "No, I can't see that. All week she's been telling me all these promises that you made her. Leo said we'd have three kids and live on a ranch in Arizona and Leo said he'd take me to Europe and Leo said I was his soul mate and we were meant to be. Leo this and Leo that and all I can think about is that I don't know who the fuck this "Leo" guy is because he's certainly not you! Last time I checked you didn't want kids yet and you don't like the country or Arizona or Europe or believe in soul mates or corny crap like that!" _

"_Michaela," he said, trying to calm her down. "Lauren's full of shit. She's crazy. And yeah, I may have said all that to her when I was sixteen, but now...I don't want those stupid daydreams with her. I love you. And I want a whole different set of things with you. Things that are real and within reach."_

_Her eyes widened when he said those three words; he'd never said them to her before. "You want me?" she asked, her voice sounding small and insecure._

_He chuckled and shook his head at her. "Yes, Blue. I want you." _

"_What about your preference for blondes and your hatred of dancers and how you don't like competitive girls or girls who swear or with long hair or…"_

_His laughter cut her off yet again. "She's full of shit. None of those things are true."_

Michaela smiled and let out a long sigh. "Who am I kidding, Jess? We're going to be fine, right? He loves me."

"Yeah, I do, a lot," Leon said as he walked in.

She turned around and gave him a soft smile. "I'm sorry. I totally overreacted. It's just…Lauren, you know? I bet you haven't seen her in years."

He leaned over to kiss her before he sat down in the chair next to her. "Not exactly. She came to visit us here once."

Her sharp intake of breath told him she'd jumped to the right conclusion. He watched her jaw clench, her hands curling into fists. "Oh no, Lee, you didn't."

"Princess, we'd just broken up and…"

She stood up, anger rushing through her veins. "And you fucked _her_! God, Lee! Of all the girls in all the world you slept with HER!"

"I was trying to get over you!"

"Ugh!" she shouted loudly, stomping her foot. "That doesn't make it any better!"

If she wasn't so angry with him, he would've laughed at her foot stomp; it was such a childish act. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"So you ran straight back to her?"

Leon was tongue tied, he'd never thought of it that way. "No," he managed to get out. "I didn't _run_ back to her. We didn't date we…did it and that was it. The next day she tried to fuck your brother and then she was gone."

"Not helping!" she said trying to erase the mental picture from her memory. He stood and reached out a hand to grab hers. She pulled away as if she'd been stung. "Don't touch me right now, Lee. I can't…I just…ugh!" She was so angry, she couldn't put it into words. With one final huff, she stormed towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need a shower. I feel fuckin' dirty right now," she said, already feeling her skin crawling. Those hands that she loved so much, they'd touched another woman. They'd touched _her_. She wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Ew."

Leon fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Don't be dramatic. It wasn't like she was the only person I slept with the entire time we were apart!" he called after her.

She turned, but continued walking backwards to the door. "Fuck you, Leon!" she shouted, flipping him off before disappearing out the door.

He winced as the door slammed behind her. Turning to look at Jesse, he shook his head as he sat down heavily in the chair. "Women," he mumbled to himself. He'd never understand the opposite sex.

* * *

Alex raised an eyebrow when the doorbell rang. She hadn't been expecting anyone. In fact, she was getting ready to take Vince to physical therapy. Slowly, she opened the door. A tall, leggy blonde stood in front of her with big blue eyes and long blonde hair. "Um hi," Alex greeted awkwardly. "Can I help you?"

"Hi! I'm Lauren, Jesse's sister. Leo told me to come over here. Are you Alex?" she questioned, the words all running together quickly.

She nodded in response. "Yeah, that's me."

"Oh my gosh, you're gorgeous!" Lauren exclaimed, wrapping her in hug. "You must be Leo's new girl!"

Alex pulled away and tried not to look too disgusted with the idea. "Um no. I'm not Lee's…girl."

"I'm so sorry!" Lauren exclaimed, though she looked a tad relieved. "I just assumed, the way he talked about you was so sweet and I just thought…never mind that. How do you know Leo?"

The nickname was so unfamiliar to her; Alex had to remind herself that the girl was talking about Leon. "Um…I'm Vince's fiancée."

Lauren clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh I _loved_ Vince last time I was here. He's so manly and big. You're a lucky woman!"

Alex shifted uncomfortably; she did not appreciate the way the girl talked about her future husband. "He's big and manly all right," she murmured in agreement. "And mine."

Vince chuckled as he walked into the living room. He had never seen the possessive side of Alex. He had to admit it turned him on a little to hear her talk that way. "Hey Lauren," he greeted, nodding to her.

"Vinnie!" Lauren shouted, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. She pulled away and ran her hands over his shoulders, her eyes looking up at him hungrily. "You look so good!"

Alex clenched her teeth together, now she understood Michaela's hatred. She'd just told the girl she was Vince's fiancée and it seemed as if she already was planning a way to get him into bed! Stepping in between them, she faked looking at a watch. "Yeah, and he's going to be late to his physical therapy appointment if we don't go soon."

Vince fought the urge to laugh. Alex never wore watches; she'd literally checked the time on her wrist and deemed it was time to go. Last time he checked, they had half an hour until his appointment.

Lauren took a step back and gave Alex a dazzling smile. "So sorry. Where's Leo?"

"He's probably at the hospital with Jess," Alex answered. She found it odd that Lauren had yet to ask about Jesse. "Jess is doing well. He just needs to wake up and everything will be good."

"That's great," Lauren replied. "I bet Leo's been taking it really hard, hasn't he? He and Jess were always so close."

Alex couldn't hide her annoyance now. "Leon is fine," she said curtly. "Jesse's the one in the hospital."

Vince chuckled, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder as a silent sign for her to calm down. "Hey Lauren, why don't you follow us to the hospital? That's where my appointment's at anyway. You can meet Lee there."

"Do you think I could ride with you?" she asked, her blue eyes gazing up at him hopefully. "I mean, I've been driving for over an hour and I'm so sick of it. If I have to spend one more second in that car…I'll go crazy!"

He looked at Alex, waiting for her to say yes or no. He sure as hell wasn't going to answer for her, that would only get him in trouble. "Fine," she said on a sigh as she headed towards the Jeep.

Lauren looked at the huge car with the tiny back seat and wrinkled her nose. "Oh. _This_ is what you drive?" she questioned, disgust lacing her words. "How am I supposed to fit back there?"

"If you don't like it, you can drive there yourself," Alex shot back, climbing up into the driver's seat. She hadn't missed the metallic pink convertible parked in front of the house. Who did this girl think she was, Barbie?

She sighed in response. "No, it's fine. I'll just climb into the back," she said as though it was some kind of sacrifice and they all she be thankful for it.

Vince pushed his seat forward to allow her to get in before pushing it back and climbing in himself. He watched Alex as she drove. She was all tensed up. Her knuckles were white from where they were wrapped around the steering wheel and her jaw was clenched tightly. He was about to say something when Lauren stuck her head between the seats. "So, Vinnie dear, what happened to you?" she asked, her voice sickly sweet.

Alex tried to tune her out, but when she started running those perfectly manicured hands up and down Vince's arm, she'd had enough. At the next stoplight, she made sure to stop hard enough to send Lauren flying back into her seat. "Sorry!" she exclaimed, trying to sound surprised. "That red light came out of nowhere!"

"Jeez! Could you drive better?" Lauren whined, pouting slightly as she rubbed at the spot where her seatbelt was. "I think you gave me a bruise!"

Vince chuckled when he saw the corner of Alex's lips turn up in a triumphant smirk. He shook his head at her before leaning over the center console to kiss her cheek. "Woman, I fuckin' love you," he said softly for just her to hear.

* * *

So? What'd you think about Lauren? About the chapter as a whole?

Let me know! I love hearing from you! :) **11 more days til FAST FIVE!**

~Love Ink


	38. Heat

Another chapter! :) Yay!

Thanks to **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, GallagherGirl4Evah, Rue Dawn, sweetist of sin, Ulquiorra-Schiffer-4, **and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** for taking time to review! I love reading your reviews and they encourage me to write more and update, faster. :)

The song Alex is singing in the car is **"**_**Caress Me Down**_**" by** **Sublime** which is an awesome song with very dirty lyrics and if you haven't heard it, definitely look it up and give it a listen. :)

Oh and **TEN** days until **FAST FIVE! :D**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Lauren…who is just awful but really fun to write. ;)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 38: Heat_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex sat in the car while she waited for Vince to finish with his therapy session. Usually, she would've gone to visit Jesse, but she did not want to deal with Lauren. She understood where Michaela's hatred came from. That girl made her feel all kinds of insecure and Lauren and Vince hadn't even slept together! She could only imagine how Michaela felt knowing Lauren not only had a long history with Leon, but also slept with him before!

As she listened to the smooth sounds of Sublime, her phone rang. She answered it just as she saw Vince walking towards her. She smiled and waved at him while listening to the man on the other end of the phone.

Vince raised an eyebrow at her as he got in the car. "Who was that?"

"Wrong number," she explained with a shrug. "How was your session?"

He looked at her suspiciously before shrugging it off. "Fine. It still fucking hurts, but, look, no brace! He said I could do some light lifting, but I need to put the brace on as soon as it starts hurting."

"That's great, V!" she exclaimed with a bright smile as she started the engine.

Vince studied her as she drove, taking note of her improved mood. She had one arm hanging out the window, her hand floating along the wind. Her fingers gently beat against the steering wheel in time to the music as she rapped along with the Spanish verses. He couldn't understand what she was saying, but whatever it was, it was sexy as hell. Then the chorus came up and he chuckled as she grunted before singing, "_Caress me down_."

With his newly freed arm, he laid a hand on her exposed thigh, gently caressing the skin there. She looked over at him with a sexy smirk. "Not in the car, big guy," she teased, winking at him over her sunglasses. "Unless you want to crash."

"You were asking for it," he shot back with a cheeky grin.

She laughed, rolling her eyes at him as she did so. "You're silly."

He smiled, happy that she was in a better mood. "It's nice to hear you laughing. I thought you were going to bite Lauren's head off earlier."

"Ugh. Don't remind me," she muttered, shaking her head at him. "She's so annoying! What the hell is wrong with her? I tell her we're getting married and she proceeds to flirt with you! What is that?"

"Tiny, you know you have nothing to worry about."

"I know, I know! It's just…wrong! I already said you were mine, what more does she need to get the hint? If I was the slapping type, I would of bitch-slapped her right there. 'Oh he's so big and _manly_,'" she mocked, pulling a face. "Stupid girl."

He smirked. "You sure are possessive," he commented, leaning forward to press a kiss to her shoulder, "which makes you sexy as hell."

She put her hand on his face and pushed him away with a laugh. "Cut that out! I'm _dri_ving!" Vince chuckled and sat back down in his seat with a sigh. She rolled her eyes at him again and giggled. "Jeez, you're like a dog in heat!"

He laughed, shaking his head at her. "Well it _has_ been awhile and they don't call me Coyote for nothing."

"Oh really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "As much as I want to, the doctor said no."

"Doctor said yes today."

Alex looked at him with wide eyes as she pulled into her driveway. "Shut up. No way."

"Way," he mocked with a teasing smile as his fingers drew shapes on her thigh. "As long as I don't put too much stress on it."

She gave him a naughty smile. "I'm sure we can work something out."

* * *

After driving around for a few minutes in an attempt to calm down, Michaela pulled into Alex's driveway. She saw the disgustingly pink car parked in front of the house and sneered. On her way past it, she kicked its tire. Oh how she hated that ugly car. When Lauren had visited Vegas, Leon and Jess had spent _hours_ under the hood of that convertible VW Golf-Carbriolet usually with Lauren close by while Michaela was in rehearsals. After work, she'd get home and Lauren would be on the couch, getting as close to Leon as she possibly could without sitting in his lap. Leon never seemed to notice it, it was almost like he was used to it.

Ugh. Leon. She sneered as she thought of Lauren with her stupid plastic nails touching his hair, his chest, her collagen filled lips kissing him. "Gross," she spat throwing open the door to the house. She could hear loud music coming from Alex's room and plugged her ears; she had no doubts about what they were doing it in there. "Oh, I am going to vomit," she mumbled. "This day couldn't get any worse."

Turning on her own stereo, she searched the radio until she found something loud and angry to mirror her mood. She got into the shower and put it as hot as she could stand it. She scrubbed herself raw, trying to rid herself of all the images she'd conjured up in her mind.

She heard the bathroom door open and almost dropped her shampoo bottle. "I'm naked! Get out!" she yelled at whoever it was. She heard Leon's chuckle and relaxed slightly. "Oh, it's just you," she said with a sigh of relief.

Leon took a seat on the counted, tilting his head back to lean on the mirror behind it. "How mad are you right now? Scale of one to ten."

"Eleven."

He scoffed. "Bullshit."

She smiled to herself. He always knew when she was exaggerating. "Fine. Eight. I'm more disgusted than angry."

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said on a sigh. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again and Lauren, she was there and…"

"Easy?" Michaela put in as she turned off the water and got out of the shower. She smiled when Leon jumped off the counter and opened up her towel for her before wrapping her in it.

He leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Be nice," he mumbled, holding her closer. "I guess you're right though."

"Ha!" Michaela exclaimed in triumph. "Where is she anyway? I haven't heard any babies crying or people screaming."

Leon chuckled, rolling his eyes at her as he followed her back into their room. "I don't know. I talked to Jess for awhile and then came straight here."

She smiled, happy that he'd chosen to follow her instead of waiting for Lauren to show up. "I'd say ask the other two, but apparently, my brother got the go ahead to get physical because they were going at it when I got here."

His face distorted into one of pure disgust. "That mental image is scarring."

"I know, right?" she said on a laugh as she pulled one of his jerseys over her head before pulling on some jean cut-offs. She was sure these ones were Alex's because they were shorter than usual, but she didn't mind; they were always wearing each other's pants. She laughed slightly when she thought about it. "My brother has gotten into my pants before."

Leon's brows furrowed in confusion; he couldn't have heard her right. "Come again?"

"Alex and I always wear each other's pants so that means…"

He grimaced, shaking his head at her. "Never make the connection again. That means I've gotten in her pants too."

Michaela laughed loudly as she nodded. "Yep," she said with a bright smile. "Want to get in them again?" she questioned, lifting an eyebrow suggestively.

Leon chuckled, his hands gently grasping her hips as he dipped his head to catch her lips in a hot kiss. "Would I ever."

* * *

What'd you think? Let me know in a review! I love hearing from you!

Sorry it was short! Next update on the way soon! :)

~Love Ink


	39. Surprise!

This chapter is short, but I just couldn't put it with the next chapter. I liked it too much solo. :) My apologies, but I promise the next chapter will be up soon! I'm so excited for Fast Five, I'm writing more and faster! :D

Thanks to **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(Thanks for the heads up!)**, Rue Dawn , **and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** (Oh my gosh! I'm so jealous you've already seen it! I'll definitely stay after!) for taking time to review! I love reading your reviews and they encourage me to write more and update, faster. :)

Oh and **NINE** days until **FAST FIVE! :D **And for those of you that haven't heard yet, **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto** and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** informed that **there's a scene at the end of the credits so make sure you stay**! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Lauren

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 39: Surprise!_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince watched his fiancée smile as she talked. The bright smile he found waiting for him when he got out of his physical therapy appointment had yet to disappear. He watched while she got dressed in mild amusement, wondering what had made her so happy. While she brushed out her hair in front of the mirror, he approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her. "What are you so smiley about?" he asked, setting his chin on her head.

"Nothin'," she said with a shrug. She looked at him in the mirror, wondering how to tell him the news. "Big guy, do you want kids?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. They'd had this conversation before. "Yeah, of course. Ten of them, remember?"

She giggled as she nodded, making his head move too. "Right."

Uncomfortable with the current position, he moved his head so that his chin was now resting on her shoulder. "So…"

"My favorite jeans barely fit me anymore," she said, trying to lead him to it.

Vince frowned. Now he was confused. Everything about this conversation was so scattered. "Tiny, you look gorgeous to me," he said, his hands gently slipped under the hem of the jersey she was wearing to inspect the small, new curve of her stomach. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alex almost laughed at his reaction. Typical guy, mention you're getting fatter and they'll try their best to disprove your theory. She turned in his arms, smirking when she saw his eyes were still on her stomach as though he'd find some type of answer there. "Vince," she said in a tone that drew his eyes up to her face. It was obvious his thoughts weren't heading in the right direction. "I'm pregnant."

He blinked at her, his finger tips lightly tracing over her stomach. "You're what?" he asked, still trying to process what she had said.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, her green eyes sparkling with excitement, "with your baby."

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked again, staring at her in disbelief.

She laughed. "Your baby is in here," she said pointing to her stomach.

He chuckled as he set his palm on her stomach, just over her belly button. "My baby? Here?"

With a light laugh, she moved his hand a little lower so it rested directly on the new curve he'd noticed. "Right here."

He stared at their hands for a brief moment before looking up at her with a small smile. He was slowly trying to wrap his head around the idea. "We're going to have a baby," he whispered softly to himself. "Holy shit! We're going to have a baby!" he exclaimed, louder this time. He wrapped her in a tight hug, lifting her feet off the ground and spinning her around.

"Stop! No heavy lifting! Your arm, remember!" she squealed, slapping at his arms.

"I don't care!" he said, his eyes lit up with happiness. "We're having a baby!"

* * *

Michaela could hear her brother's muffled screaming from her room. Raising an eyebrow, she got out of bed and headed to the door. Leaning against the doorjamb, she tried to listen harder to see if she could make out what he was saying. "What are they doing in there?" she mumbled to herself.

She felt Leon come up behind her, wrapping an arm around her torso. He shook his head in response. "I don't want to know."

A minute later, Alex ran out of the room in Vince's jersey and small black dance shorts. "Stop!" she yelled over her shoulder at Vince who was chasing after her in just his boxers.

He caught up to her, pinning her against the wall and kneeling in front of her to place loud kisses and blow raspberries on her belly. "Stop it! That tickles!" she screamed, pulling at his hair to try and get him off.

"What the hell?" Mia questioned, rubbing at her eyes as she came out of Fisher's room. It was obvious they'd had woken her up from a nap. "What are they doing?"

Michaela was just staring at them. Her brother was literally on his knees in front of Alex, nuzzling her stomach. She'd never seen him do anything like that. "Big brother?" she asked clearing her throat to catch his attention.

He turned his head, his ear against Alex's stomach and raised his eyebrows at her in question. "What?"

"Is there a reason you're worshipping her stomach? I mean, I know it's a nice one but this is a little…much."

Vince looked up at Alex. "Can I tell them?"

She smiled, her hands gently raking through his hair. "Go ahead."

He gave her stomach one last kiss before standing up slowly, wrapping his good arm around her and settling his hand over her stomach. "We're having a baby."

Mia's shrill scream drowned out whatever reaction the other two had. She rushed towards Alex, pulling her away from Vince and into her arms. "Oh my God, I can't believe it!" she screamed, squeezing her tightly. "How far along are you?"

"Just about three weeks, maybe four," she answered.

"You knew for four weeks and just said something today?" Vince asked, looking a little disgruntled at the idea of no knowing the exact moment she did.

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "No, I just got the call from the doctor today. I knew for sure about one hour before you, big guy."

Michaela smiled as she hugged Alex. "At least something good came from Race Wars."

"A Race Wars baby," Leon mused with a smirk when it was finally his turn to hug her. "Real classy, sis."

Vince hit his arm just as Leon's phone rang. He looked down at the number and quickly answered it. The sound of a shrill voice on the other end made all of them grimace. "Lo? Stop screeching I can't understand you," Leon said wincing slightly. "They left you there?" He covered the speaker and glared at Alex and Vince. "You abandoned her at the hospital!"

"Oops," Alex said innocently before giving Michaela a high-five.

* * *

YAY! :) Did you like it? Let me know!

~Love Ink


	40. Time

Last chapter was short, this one is long. Six pages long. :) I played a lot with the different dynamics of the characters. Let me know what you think. :)

Thanks to **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Magenta Stone **(I'm glad you like the OCs! Sometimes I have my doubts about them and whether they're "real" or not :\)** SurferGirl711, Violet201, Rue Dawn, GallagherGirl4Evah, **and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** for taking time to review! Ya'll are awesome!

**EIGHT** days until **FAST FIVE! **(That is, if you live in the US) **;)**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Lauren

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 40: Time_

**By: LoveInk**

Leon shook his head at the girls before grabbing his keys from his pocket. "Don't worry, Lo. I'll be right over. Relax. It's just Jess and he's sleeping," he said into the phone, on his way to the door.

He didn't drive quite as fast as he usually did to the hospital. Honestly, he was stalling. He had yet to tell Lauren he was with Michaela again; had yet to even mention that he wasn't single. When he finally pulled into the parking lot, he sucked in a deep breath as he tried to think of the best way to tell her. He walked past the front desk and decided on taking the stairs instead of the elevator so he'd have more time to think. The door to Jesse's room was already open and he could see Lauren sitting in a chair, flipping through a magazine looking as bored as ever. Her bright blonde hair was longer than usual and hung in loose curls down her back. He had to admit she was looking good; Santa Barbara had treated her well. Then again, he had always thought she was attractive. Some things never change. "Knock, knock," he greeted, leaning against the door.

"Leo!" she exclaimed, jumping up at once and sprinting towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug before kissing his cheek. "You look fantastic, sweetheart!"

"Thank, Lolo," he said, pecking her cheek, as was custom. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Lauren's smile got wider at the compliment, her big blue eyes sparkling mischievously. "You don't know how much I've missed you, Leo," she said, her voice lowered in a sexy tone.

He took a big step back; a line had to be drawn before she started getting ideas. Gently removing her hands from around his neck, he cleared his throat, "Lo, I'm with someone."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Honey, you're always with someone," she purred at him. "Never stopped us before."

"Um. Yeah it has," he replied, looking at her like she was crazy. He'd never cheated on Michaela with Lauren despite Lauren's attempts. "Lo, I'm with Michaela."

Lauren sneered at the name. "Ugh. That bitch again? C'mon Leo. You can do better," she stated, putting her arms around him once again. "Remember our pact? Once we hit twenty-five, we're getting married."

Leon remembered. It was a stupid promise he'd made her back when they were sixteen and all he wanted to do was to please her. "We're not there yet."

"It's not too far off, Leo. You don't want to be stuck with _her_, do you?"

He shrugged a shoulder. At the moment, the idea didn't sound so bad. "I love her, Lo."

She rolled her eyes at him again, making a tutting sound with her tongue. "Whatever, Leo. Where the hell did she come from anyway? I swear she broke your heart or something."

He winced at the memory of the way Michaela had broken up with him before. It was something he hadn't thought of in a long time. "She's Vince's sister. We got back together a year ago."

"Vince's sister? Oh, he definitely got all the good genes. What a man! My only regret is that I didn't hop into bed with him before he got all wifed up. You think I still have a shot?"

"With Vince?" Leon asked incredulously.

Lauren nodded, a pensive look on her face. "Yeah. C'mon, you can't tell me that little sprite satisfies him. She's like half his height!"

"Vince wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole," he said on a snort, shaking his head at her. "He loves Lex too much to fuck it up."

"Want to bet?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him. "I bet I'll sleep with him before I leave."

Leon couldn't believe her gall. "Stay away from him, Lo," he said, his tone borderline angry. "Alex is pregnant."

"Oh gosh! That's even easier! Just wait 'til she gets big!"

"Lauren! I'm not fucking kidding," Leon growled at her. He loved Alex too much to hear someone trash her relationship like that. "You fuck that relationship up and I will never speak to you again."

Lauren smirked. "Woah, Leo. I can't tell if you're jealous that I'm interested or super overprotective of that little munchkin."

"Don't mess with her, Lo. She's a good person."

She let out a long sigh. It was obvious Leon cared about Alex enough to be angry at the mere thought of someone hurting her. She didn't want Leon angry with her; that wouldn't get her anywhere. "Fine," she said, pouting her pouty lips to show happy about it. "You know who that short girl looks like?"

Leon ran a hand over his face and shrugged a shoulder. "Who?" he questioned, expecting her to say something mean in response.

"Essie," Lauren replied, her voice soft as she picked at her jeans. "Is that why you're so protective?"

He sighed and nodded. "Sure, I guess."

She smiled softly, memories passing through her head of Leon's hot-headed twin sister. "Does she act like her too?"

"Sometimes," Leon answered honestly. "She's a sweeter version, that's for sure. Not as blunt or as mean."

Lauren laughed, sniffling as tears came to her eyes when she thought of her best friend. She didn't care about most people, but she had loved that girl like a sister. "God, I miss her. You remember Prom night?"

He nodded, smiling slightly. "Jess had just gotten his license so we let him drive."

"He ended up being the DD," she added giggling. "Man, he hated us on the way to the hotel. We were plastered because you spiked the punch."

Leon scowled at her, shaking his head. "No, I didn't," he lied, a sneaky grin on his face.

"You know, we weren't the only two who had fun that night. Essie slept with Jess."

He nodded laughing slightly. "They told me."

"Can you imagine if Ess was still around?" Lauren asked on a short laugh. "You two never would've left Arizona. They'd still be together, _hell_ we'd probably be together. You ever think of that Leo?"

Leon shook his head. "No," he answered softly. He never thought of the past. Usually he was content with keeping things in the now since the past hurt so badly to think about. He knew what Lauren was really hinting at. She was trying to get him to think of the many "what-ifs" that he avoided like the plague and make him feel insecure about his current decisions. "I love Michaela, Lo. You and me are over. Have been for a long time."

Lauren shook her head at him. She stood up from her chair, sauntering up to him. "Leo, we'll never be over," she said in a soft, sultry voice. She reached out a hand to caress his face. "Not for me, not for you. That's why you called, isn't it? Because you missed me."

He pulled away as if he'd be stung. "Lauren, I called you for Jesse," he said, slightly disgusted by her answer. "You know, your brother?"

She rolled her eyes at him, the corner of her mouth turning up in a smirk. "Oh right, him," she said turning back to Jesse's bed. She leant over and gently brushed Jesse's hair out of his face. "Poor thing."

He could see how hard she was faking her concern and wondered why he'd even bothered to call her. Lauren didn't care about anyone but herself. "C'mon Lo. Let's just go back."

* * *

Michaela lay down on the dirty wooden floor of the dance studio. She was exhausted and her feet were killing her from the pointe shoes. The sad piano music playing from the stereo washed over her, making her sigh. Turning her head, she looked at herself in the mirror. There were tears on her face, though she didn't remember crying them. _They're having a baby_, she thought to herself miserably.

_A baby_. She was supposed to have one of those. That had been her fault. How could she not have known? She trailed the fingers of her casted hand over her flat stomach. There once had been a life in there. One she'd thrown away. _Stupid_.

She was happy for them, she really was. After all the shit they'd been through, Alex and Vince deserved happiness. They'd get married, have a baby, and live happily ever after. And where would she be? Fighting off Lauren for a man that wouldn't even commit to her?

He didn't know, but she'd heard him that day with Alex. He'd admitted he didn't know what he wanted, that he wasn't sure about kids and that he'd tried to get a ring, but couldn't do it. He was scared of that type of serious commitment.

Even when she'd lost the baby, he hadn't seemed that disappointed. Of course he was sad and worried, but it seemed to be more for her sake than his. _We'll have our chance someday, now just wasn't the right time_, that's what he'd said. Had she mistaken his relief for him trying to comfort her?

What if the baby had survived? He'd have been stuck then. Knowing Leon like she did, he would've felt obligated to propose because it was the right thing to do. And then where would they be? Up to their ears in diapers while she was happy and he was secretly in hell.

She loved him though. Had since the day she'd met him on that roof. Ever since he'd given her that sexy crooked smile, she'd been hooked. He'd been the first guy she genuinely cared about. Every other guy she dated she'd used to piss off her brother. Even Santiago, who everyone claimed was her "first love" hadn't even been close. She'd dumped him as soon as Vince stopped caring. But Leon had been different. He'd been hers, someone she chose because she liked him. He was her first love.

But she wasn't his. That title was Lauren's, and he'd told her as much. It was why she initially didn't like her. After meeting her, the dislike grew to extreme hatred. Lauren was the devil, Michaela was sure of it. She didn't know how many times she'd caught her trying to make a move on Leon. It was like the girl didn't want Leon until he had someone else. Michaela was determined not to let Lauren win. Commitment or not, Leon was hers and it was going to stay that way.

Sitting up, she wiped away the tears on her cheeks and she unlaced her shoes. She turned off the music and then the lights of the studio before heading out to her car. When she got home, she was relieved to see the Skyline was not in the driveway. That meant she had time to prepare herself for the appearance of the devil reincarnated.

Mia was in the kitchen making lasagna with Alex sitting on the counter next to where she was working. Vince was sitting on the couch watching a basketball game. If Leon and Jess were there, everything would be perfect. Vince smiled at her when she walked in. "Hey pretty girl," he greeted.

"Hey bro," she said, plopping down on the couch next to him.

He draped an arm over the back of the couch behind her so she scooted in closer and lay her head on his shoulder. "You okay?" he asked, still looking at the TV. She knew he was trying to act casual so the girls in the kitchen didn't get suspicious. Mia was a notorious eavesdropper.

She looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Your time will come, Mickey," he assured her. "Shit happens for a reason, you know?"

Michaela smiled softly. Sometimes she wondered if her brother could read her mind. "You always say that, even when you talk about Mom and Dad."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Helps get me by. If they hadn't died, we wouldn't have come here. If we hadn't moved here, you would never have started dancing because we wouldn't have met the Torettos and you wouldn't have Mia making you buy a tutu and forcing you go to dance class with her. If you hadn't started dancing, then you'd never have moved to Vegas and…"

"I would've never met Leon," Michaela finished with a smile. She leant over and kissed his cheek. "You're amazing."

Vince chuckled, rolling his eyes at her. "You're pretty great too. Except you smell."

Michaela scoffed as she stood up. "I just had a very hard dance session, thank you very much!"

"Smells like it," he teased.

"I guess I'll go take a shower then, asshole," she muttered, standing and heading over to the shower.

"Remember to wrap that cast!" he shouted to her back.

Michaela smiled to herself. Vince was always looking after her. "Yes, Father!"

Vince chuckled to himself, shaking his head at his little sister. "You like the sound of that?" Alex questioned as she took Michaela's seat.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer before kissing her temple. "I think I like Dad better."

"Daddy? Pops?" she tested, smiling as she did so. She liked the idea of Vince being her baby daddy. "Papa? Papi?"

His kisses trailed down her neck, his beard tickling the soft skin there. "You can call me Papi if you want," he growled. He loved when she spoke Spanish. It never failed to turn him on.

She laughed, pushing his face away with her hand. "_Sosta_," she said laughing harder when he looked up at her in confusion. (Stop!)

"Tiny, that's Italian," he said his tone just as confused as his expression. Alex didn't reply, she just winked at him before getting up and skipping back towards their room. He followed after her, still curious as to where she'd picked up that word. He leant against the door jamb, watching her as she took off his jersey and put on a simple tank top and a pair of jean shorts. "Are you learning Italian now?"

"Maybe," she said innocently, trying to button her pants and failing. "See what I mean? These pants just don't fit!"

Vince chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Why are you changing anyway? You looked good in what you were wearing."

"I was wearing your huge jersey and dance shorts, V."

"Exactly."

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "Yes because I'm sure I look so good in them next to Lauren in her tiny tight halter and painted on jeans."

"Don't compare yourself to her," he said with a scowl. "It's not fair to her. She's not beautiful like you are."

She grinned at him as she pulled the clothes she'd been wearing back on. "You're smooth, you know that?" she questioned, walking up to him and sticking a finger in his face.

He winked at her. "I had to be to get you."

* * *

A big thanks to **Rue Dawn **and **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto** who said they wanted to about Michaela's reaction to everything! I honestly hadn't thought about it until I read your review! :) I hope that part was sufficient! :)

Any and all ideas are welcome and your reviews are well loved so _please_ review! :D

~Love Ink


	41. Losing It

Thanks to:

**Rue Dawn **- We get some Mickey vs. Lauren action here. Leon's thoughts will be coming up soon ;)

**Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto- **Just **5 days** now! :)

**Xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**- haha I'm glad you hate Lauren! :D I tried to make her absolutely horrible!

For those of you who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter! :)

**FIVE** days until **FAST FIVE! **:D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Lauren

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 41: Losing It_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela heard Leon's engine pull into the engine and froze, a grimace on her face. She glanced over at Alex who looked equally pained to learn that Lauren was back. Vince chuckled at the exchange, shaking his head at them. "Play nice, girls," he said, grinning to let them know he wasn't serious.

Mia sighed as she pulled the lasagna out of the oven. "You two had better. She's a guest."

"Oh, she's not staying here," Alex stated flippantly. "No way."

"Lex, where else is she going to stay?" Mia asked.

She shrugged in response. "A hotel, maybe? You know, like normal people."

"She can sleep on the futon," Mia suggested. "I feel like that's punishment enough."

Michaela shook her head. "No, she can't! Why can't she go to a hotel, Mia?"

"Looking to get rid of me so soon, Michaela?" Lauren asked as she sauntered into the room. "Some things never change."

Sucking in a deep breath, Michaela manage to plaster a smile onto her face. "Hello, Lauren," she said through clenched teeth. "So nice to see you again."

Lauren just smirked in response. She sat down at the table next to Vince and grinned at him. He nodded in greeting but didn't smile back. "That's my fiancée's seat," he said curtly. He didn't want Lauren sitting anywhere near him. If memory served him correctly, the last time she'd visited them, she'd tried to play footsie with him under the table, her foot sliding up his leg to a place where he hadn't wanted it. If she tried again, he'd have to break her foot.

With a roll of her eyes, she stood from the seat. "Where do I sit then?"

Leon heard both Alex and Michaela mumble rude responses to each other before giggling. He looked at Lauren who hadn't heard a thing. "Just sit, Lo."

Lauren took the seat next to him. It was a seat that was usually empty anyway since Michaela sat on his other side. She played with the ends of her blonde hair, picking at split ends while the other girls set the table around her. "So, Michaela, I hear you're Vince's sister," she said, not looking up from her hair. "That worked out oddly well for you."

Michaela walked up behind Leon and draped her arms over his shoulders, her hands on his chest before pressing a kiss to his temple. "Mm-hmm. I guess we're just meant to be."

"Whatever," Lauren shot back, a disgusted look on her face. "I'm surprised you took her back, Leo. He was so devastated the last time I saw him, Michaela. Don't worry; I did my best to make him feel better."

Before Michaela could slap Lauren, Leon grabbed onto her wrists, holding them still in the position they'd been in. She struggled against him for a second, but calmed down when he pulled her closer to him so he could kiss her cheek.

"I bet you did," Alex murmured under her breath as she sat down next to Vince. He grinned at her and squeezed her leg under the table.

"What have you been up to, Lauren?" Mia asked, taking her seat. "It's been awhile since we've seen you last. Do you have a job or something?"

Lauren shrugged a shoulder and sighed. "I'm in retail."

"Sounds important," Michaela mocked, reaching to grab the first piece of lasagna. No one stopped her to say Grace. That was Dom's tradition, not theirs.

"I bet it's a better job than being some stripper."

Leon almost choked on his bite of lasagna. "Lauren!"

"What? That's what you are, isn't it?" she questioned, looking at Michaela with an innocent expression.

"I think the term burlesque dancer is more appropriate," Alex corrected for Michaela.

Michaela gave her a grateful look and nodded. "I didn't take my clothes off. Besides, now I'm a dance teacher."

"Oh, I worry for the kids in your classes," Lauren commented on a sigh.

"Would you two cut it out?" Leon asked, fed up with their crude remarks. "Can we talk about something normal for a change? Alex is fuckin' pregnant, let's talk about that!"

Mia laughed at Leon's outburst. He was usually so calm and collected, it was clear these girls really got under his skin. "Have you decided on names yet?"

"Uh…we _just_ found out, Mi," Vince said slowly.

"You don't have any names in mind?" she asked looking at Alex.

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Vince likes Maxima, but I'm more partial to Wrangler."

"That's badass," Vince commented as if he was taking the name seriously.

"I thought so."

"Ha-ha, very funny. I forgot, you're not normal," Mia murmured with a roll of her eyes. "Don't you have sisters? Didn't you play with baby dolls? You must have _some_ sort of idea!"

"Nope."

"Mi, we don't even know what we're having," Vince said on a sigh.

"Do you want it to be a surprise?" Lauren asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex and Vince exchanged glances. Neither of them had brought it up. "Um, we haven't really talked about it yet…my first doctor's appointment is in a few days and even then, you can't tell for awhile."

"Twenty weeks," Lauren answered easily. "Let me see your hands."

Alex awkwardly held her hands over the table, palm up. "What?"

"Old wives tale says you're having a girl."

Michaela scoffed. "Who believes that crap?"

"I do," Mia and Lauren said at the same time.

"Can you imagine a little girl? Oh my gosh, she'll be so cute!" Mia gushed, already excited about it.

While Mia and Lauren gushed about baby girls, Michaela and Alex made faces at each other across the table while Vince tried to contain his laughter. Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He considered it quite an accomplishment that Michaela had yet to smack Lauren. The last time they'd been together, it'd taken her all of five minutes before she slapped her.

Once they were done with dinner, Lauren went to take a nap in Mia's bed while everyone else started cleaning up. Alex and Michaela were standing at the sink washing the dishes and whispering to each other, no doubt about Lauren. Leon approached them, leaning his back against the counter space next to Alex. She looked at him with a smirk. "Am I in trouble?"

He nodded slowly. "_Sabía que ella iba a actuar así, pero tú? No lo esperaba. Supone que ibas a ser por lo menos más amable con ella." _(I know she would act like that, but you? I didn't expect that. I thought you'd at least be nicer to her.)

Alex rolled her eyes at him before letting out a long sigh. _"Ella lo empezo_. _Trate de ser amable pero ella quiere dormir con mi hombre. __Eso es inaceptable. Lo siento." _(She started it. I tried to be nice but she wants to sleep with my man. That's unacceptable. Sorry.)

Leon frowned and nodded. She had a point, Lauren had admitted to him that she wanted to sleep with Vince. "Fair enough."

"I have _got _to learn Spanish," Michaela muttered as she dried off the plate Alex handed her. "It's really unfair when you do that."

* * *

Michaela was in hell. She was convinced of it. Every day it was something new with that idiot blonde! She'd found her in her bed the night before wearing some sexy lingerie and waiting for Leon. Too bad she'd gotten there first. Michaela had used every single ounce of her self-restraint not to kick her ass right then and there. She was getting better at the whole self-control thing. She got back at Lauren in other ways. Flushing the toilet while she was in the shower, putting baby powder in her hair dryer, salt in the sugar bowl…all small triumphs that she'd easily gotten away with.

Ironically, the only place that was safe was Jesse's hospital room. Lauren hadn't gone in there since the first day she was in LA. "Hey J-Man," she greeted sitting on the edge of his bed. "When you gonna wake up buddy?"

As usual, he didn't respond. Michaela let out a long sigh and flipped on the television. She hadn't been watching long when she smelled that distinct, overpoweringly sweet perfume. She wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, did the bottle break on you?" she questioned, turning to look a Lauren. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see my brother, duh," Lauren said with a sneer. At Michaela's look of disbelief, she shrugged a shoulder. "Lee's with Vince down in PT since Preggo had to work."

"Figured," Michaela mumbled in response.

Lauren walked up to Jesse's bed. "So when are they taking him off these machines?"

"Um when he wakes up," she answered, looking up at Lauren warily.

"You mean _if_ he wakes up," Lauren corrected, her manicured finger trailing up and down her brother's arm. "Poor Jess."

Michaela tried hard not to jump to conclusions, but the way Lauren was talking made it seem as though she didn't want Jesse to wake up. She could feel anger slowly building up inside of her. "Why are you talking like that? He's all the family you have left."

"I still have Leo," Lauren said softly. "He'll always be here for me. When Jesse's gone, I'll move here. We'll see how long you two stay together then."

That's when Michaela lost it.

* * *

What'd you think? A bit of a cliffhanger...sorry ;) I swear I won't leave you hanging long! :D

Reviews are well loved and cared for so please leave me one! :)

~Love Ink


	42. Going Back

JUST SAW **FAST FIVE** and let me just say this…holy. cow. O.O It was **auh-mazing**. Just amazing. I loved every minute of it from the first time we see VINCE (who looks just as fine as always) until the scene at the end of the credits. **Unbelievable**. There was only one part that killed me and when you see it, you'll know exactly which one made me tear up (and get made fun of for the rest of the night for sniffling during a "man movie". :p). :\

I canNOT wait until the sixth one. O.M.G. :D

Anyways this super extra long chapter (7 pages!) was inspired by the awesome new movie! (Did I mention I loved it? Because I did. ;])

Thanks to: **D274, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(You can try to kick Lauren's ass, but you'll have to wait til Mickey's done), **xsparklesthemagicalunicorn, sweetist of sin, Blank, **and** Rue Dawn **(You and Mickey both ;))

Anyways…**THREE** days until the official **FAST FIVE **release**! **:D (and yes, I'm going to pay to see it again. Hehe)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Lauren

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 42: Going Back_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince recognized the shouting voice as soon as he heard it. He and Leon exchanged a quick glance; clearly the other man had recognized it as well. "Michaela," they both said together before they started sprinting towards Jesse's hospital room. Nurses were gathering at the door, but Vince and Leon pushed their way through them. What Leon saw when he finally got through froze him in shock. Michaela was straddling Lauren, punching her face as best as she could with her casted hand while the other girl tried to fight her off, scratching at Michaela's arms and face.

They both sprung into action. Vince grabbed Michaela around the torso and pulled her away while Leon helped Lauren to her feet. "Cut it out!" he exclaimed, letting Lauren go as soon as she was standing. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?"

Michaela was still clawing at her brother's arms, trying to get back at Lauren. "That bitch…" she growled, her eyes dark with anger.

"Oh you're the bitch, Michaela! You came at me, you dumb whore!" Lauren shot back, acid dripping off her words.

"That's enough!" Leon bellowed, glaring at both of them in turn. "You two have been at each other's throats all week and I'm fucking sick of it," he seethed.

Michaela stopped struggling against her brother. She hadn't realized just how much it bothered Leon when she and Lauren fought. Now, she could see it in his face. It hurt him to see them go at each other like that. A feeling of remorse came over her, not because she hit Lauren but because she got caught doing it. "Lee…"

"Both of you need to grow the hell up and stop fighting over stupid ass shit," Leon shouted, his green eyes furious. "You," he said pointing to Lauren, "You've never wanted me. I know it, you know it. If Michaela wasn't here you'd be trying to get into Vince's pants, not mine. All you want is the chase and there's no way in hell you're going to catch me, Lo, so just forget about it. If you're here for me, go home because I don't want you."

Lauren's mouth fell open. Leon had never yelled at her. Not once in the twelve years she'd known him. "Wha…"

"And you," he said turning towards Michaela. "I love you and only you. When are you going to see that? When are you going to trust me?"

Michaela felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. It hurt to know that he was disappointed in her. She hadn't even considered how her fighting with Lauren would make him feel. "Leon, I'm…"

"Fuck it," he murmured under his breath. He shook his head, disappointed at the both of them. "I'm done with this. Lauren, find another way home because I sure as hell am not going to drive you."

With that, he turned on his heel and left, muttering curse words to himself. He could not believe it. That kind of behavior was unacceptable from two women of their age. It was like they were little two year olds fighting over a toy. Except he was the toy, and he didn't like it.

He stormed through the house, almost knocking Alex over as he headed to his room. He grabbed onto her arms before she toppled over. "You're such a klutz," he mumbled before pushing past her and to his room.

Alex stared after him in disbelief. There was no playfulness or joke in his tone; he'd meant what he'd said. He had never insulted her like that. Turning, she chased after him. "Hey asshole!" she shouted at him, opening his door hell bent on yelling at him for being such a dick. She found him sitting on the bed, his head in his hands looking absolutely miserable. Her resolve softened a bit. "Oh, Lee. What happened?"

Leon lifted his head to look at her and sighed. "Michaela beat the crap out of Lauren."

"Awesome," she said on a laugh. He glared up at her and she stopped laughing. "Sorry."

He ran a hand over his face before shaking his head. "You should see them, Shorty. They're both covered in scratches and bruises and shit. Mickey fucked up her wrist again, Lo's nose looked broken."

Alex had a feeling he needed someone to talk to, so she took a seat next to him on the bed. "And you're in a foul mood because?" she pressed.

"Because it's fucking wrong! I told Lo from the get-go to back the fuck off because I'm not interested and I told Michaela not to worry because I don't give two shits about Lo, yet you put them together and they go at it. I'm sick of it."

"Most guys would love to have two girls fighting over them, Lee," she pointed out, still trying to see where he was coming from.

Leon shook his head exaggeratedly. "Not me, Shorty," he said softly. "I'm over all that shit. It makes me feel dirty. Like I've done something…wrong to lead Lauren on or to make Michaela not trust me. It's like neither of them listen to me. I'm not a cryptic guy. I told each clearly what I wanted and it went over both of their heads."

Alex sighed, gently rubbing a hand up and down his back in an effort to calm him down. "They're jealous, Lee. You're a good lookin' guy; it's hard not to want you."

He gave her a look that clearly said her compliment was not appreciated. "Yeah, well, I'm tired of it."

"Want me to disfigure your face? They'll fight over you less then."

The corner of Leon's mouth lifted in a slight smirk. Alex always had a way of making him laugh when he was angry. "I'm good, Short Stuff," he said, kissing her temple. "Don't tell me you're going to get in on the action too."

"Oh please, you're hot, but not as hot as my man," she said, smiling when she saw Vince walk past the open door.

He stopped when he heard the comment and grinned at her. His eyes fell on Leon looking a little peeved. "You left me with the two of them. Do you know how hard it is to play referee in a car?"

Leon sighed again. "I'm sorry, bro. I couldn't take it anymore."

"Are they both all right?" Alex questioned.

Vince nodded. "Hospital took care of the serious stuff. Michaela needed a new cast 'cause she cracked the last one on Lauren's thick ass skull and Lauren needed to get her nose set. Mia's taking care of the minor stuff now."

Alex eyes widened. "Michaela broke Lauren's nose?"

Vince nodded, a proud smile on his face. Leon scoffed in response, more anger bubbling up inside of him. "Ridiculous," he spat out, shaking his head furiously. "This shit has got to stop before someone gets seriously hurt."

"I'm sorry," Michaela's voice came from behind Vince. He stepped out of the way so she could get into the room.

"You should be," Leon mumbled in response.

Vince cleared his throat, glaring at Leon for his harsh response. Alex rolled her eyes as she stood up. She kissed Leon's head before ruffling his hair. "C'mon, big guy, let's go," she said, grabbing Vince's arm as she walked out of the room.

"Scale of one to ten," Michaela started, standing in front of Leon. "How mad are you?"

He let out a long breath. "Nine."

"Lee, you don't know what she said."

"Michaela, I don't care what she said," he replied easily. "There's no reason to attack her like that."

"She hit me back, Lee!"

"That doesn't make it right!"

Michaela sighed and ran her good hand through her hair. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

She tried to think of answer and shrugged. "For making you mad."

Leon shook his head at her; that was not a good answer. "You don't think what you did was wrong?"

She shrugged a shoulder and shook her head. "No. She deserved it, Lee. She said she wanted Jesse to die so she could move here and steal you."

He clenched his jaw furiously. So they hadn't been fighting over him. Michaela had attacked because of what Lauren had said about Jesse. His anger at Michaela dissipated slightly while his anger at Lauren grew. "So it wasn't about me?"

"Not entirely," Michaela answer honestly. "She wants Jesse to die, Lee and she can do it too! She's the only blood family he has!"

Leon was up and charging down the hall at once. "Lauren!" he shouted, furious.

Alex's eyes widened as he stormed past. "Lee…"

"Where is she?" he shouted at her.

"Hey!" Vince voice boomed, louder than Leon's to remind Leon of his place. "She's in the bathroom with Mia."

He stalked past them and into the bathroom where Lauren was whining to Mia about how much the alcohol hurt when Mia cleaned her cuts. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Leon yelled at her as he entered the bathroom.

"What?" Lauren whined back, her bottom lips stuck out in a pout.

"You want Jess to die so you can move here? You think that'll fix things, huh? You think I'll come running to you because you decided to kill of your own brother?" he yelled.

Lauren's mouth fell open as she stared up at him with wide eyes. "Leo…"

"How could you be so fucking selfish, Lauren? Jess is all you got left!"

"No, _you're_ all I have left," she shouted back at him getting in his face. "The last time Jess and I talked he told me he never wanted to see me again! That he hated who I turned out to be and hated how I treated you! He said he wished Michaela was his fucking sister instead of me, all right? So yeah, I'm not his biggest fan right now, but I always have you!"

Leon shook his head slowly at her. "You're un-fucking-believable," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "Why did you even come here if you didn't care?"

"Because I thought _you_ needed me, Leo."

He breathed in a deep breath, trying to keep his calm. "I don't. I don't need anybody."

"There you go being so fucking strong. The badass, huh? Bottle everything up for another day," she shouted at him, tears in her eyes. "What are you going to do if he dies, huh? Leave again? Go running for the next state like when Ess died and leave a trail of destruction behind?"

She swallowed hard as she remembered those days after he left. They had left her alone with no one. Her best friend died, her brother was gone, and the love of her life was gone. She gasped softly as all the pain came flooding back to her. "Did you even think before you left Arizona? You ran away from us all. Me, your Dad, Adri, the kids, all of us. Like you didn't even care."

"Shut up, Lauren! You don't know what you're talking about!"

Lauren glanced behind him towards Michaela who looked confused. It was obvious she had no idea what they were talking about. "I do! You think _I'm_ selfish? Look at yourself! You ran away without thinking twice about the family you left behind! I bet she doesn't even know, does she? Do you know he has another sister, two nieces and a nephew? Bet you didn't know that, did you? These kids ask about their _Padrino_ on a daily basis and he won't even fucking call them for their own damn birthdays!" (_Godfather_.)

"Enough, Lauren!" he roared. "Get the hell out of here before I kick your ass out!"

She smirked at him. She'd seen the flicker of hurt that had washed over Michaela's face at being kept out of the loop; she knew she was leaving trouble behind and relished in the thought. Leon had ruined her life when he left Arizona, now she was going to ruin his. "Oh, I'm gone," she said, pushing him out of her face before walking past him. She made sure to bump her shoulder against Michaela's on her way out, smirking when it almost knocked her over.

Michaela watched as Leon's shoulders sunk. He leant forward and grasped the edge of the sink with both hands. He was literally shaking with rage. She approached him hesitantly, settling a hand on his back so as not to startle him. "Lee?" she asked, her eyebrows drawn together in concern.

"Just…leave me alone," he murmured, his voice hoarse from all the yelling. He turned and stalked out the front door, slamming it behind him. Seconds later, the Skyline engine started with a roar. Michaela just made it to the door in time to see him drive off.

"Shit," she said, feeling slightly panicked. What if he was running? Just like Lauren had said? She felt a lump rise in her throat, she couldn't handle that. She needed him more than anyone right now.

"Give him time," Alex's calm voice suggested. "He just needs some space."

* * *

Leon stood ankle deep in the ocean, watching the waves roll in. A bottle of Jack hung loosely from his fingers, half full. For the first time in years, he let his head drift back to the past. To memories, he'd tried to banish from his mind. When he'd left, he made sure to leave everything in his rearview mirror and had not looked back. Lauren had been telling the truth when she said he had an older sister. Adrienne. Ten years older with three kids. A set of twins, his god-children, Leah and Hope, and a baby boy, Mattias. The twins had been ten when he left and Mati had been just a baby. He hadn't talked to Adri since. Not one call. Though she sent him countless letters and e-mails, they were never opened, just tucked away into a box under his bed. He knew Jesse kept in touch with all of them; he was Mati's godfather after all. But Leon couldn't. It hurt way too much to think about the life he left behind.

His father was still alive too, as far as he knew. Jesse hadn't told him any differently. His parents had divorced when he was thirteen and he married someone else a year after. His stepmother, Shelley, was nice enough. She took care of him and Essie when they were teenagers but also knew when to keep her distance. He had a stepbrother and sister who were both way older. He wasn't close with any of them. Taking a swig from the bottle, he headed back towards the shore and sat down in the sand.

And then there was Lauren. He hated her. Hated and loved her at the same time. When it came to Lauren, everything was complicated. He used to say he loved her that she was his first love, but now that he'd known real love, he knew that was a lie. What he felt for Lauren was…lust. He'd loved the chase and she loved to be chased and vice versa. Sure, they'd done it a few times, but he never felt anything when it happened.

Not like he did with Michaela. When he was with Mickey, the world stopped. There was no one else. She made all the hurt go away, helped him to forget, reminded him that he was a good person, that he deserved happiness too. It was easy with her. She didn't know about his past, didn't ask. There was no pity in her eyes when she looked at him. She accepted him for what he was, broken. He loved her for that.

Did he want to marry her, though? He knew the question was coming. After they'd lost the baby, he thought about it a lot. Marrying her meant he was stuck. As much as he loved her, he didn't like the idea of being stuck in one place. He was a runner. When things got tough, he ran. If he married her, he couldn't do that. Not without having her big brother running right after him. And she wanted kids too. Why? They seemed pointless to him. Why have kids when you were bound to disappoint them in the long run? Just like his parents had disappointed him. And even that he could get over. But if they had a kid and something happened to them…everything would fall apart.

At least, that's what happened with Esperanza. She'd been a powerful force in all of their lives. When she died, it had changed them all.

He felt a hand gently tangle into the hair at the back of his head, blunt nails dragging across his scalp. Lifting his head, he took one long look at Michaela before turning his eyes back to the sea. "I don't want to talk about it," he murmured.

Michaela sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I have family I never told you about either," she started, studying him as she talked. "I've got Uncles and Aunts, cousins, and stuff in New York. My parents are buried there, and every year Vince wants to go back to visit them and I just…can't. It feels wrong to go because…I don't remember them."

Leon nodded, taking another swig of the whiskey bottle. With the alcohol coursing through his system, he found it a little easier to talk about things. "I'm starting to lose Essie too. Lo and Jess, they talk about her like she's still around, but she's not. She isn't coming back. Talking about her hurts."

"What about your other sister?"

"Oh, Adri?" he asked, his words a little slurred. The whiskey was hitting him harder than he thought it would. "Adri's there. She's got her own family now with Chuck and three kids: Leah, Hope, and Mati. I'm Leah and Hope's godfather. I haven't seen or talked to them since they were ten. That's when Ess got in her crash. Jess updates me every now and then but…I don't like to hear it."

"You don't think you should call them to tell them about Jess?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Lo will."

"Is that the real reason you called her?"

He shrugged his shoulders again. "Maybe."

"Oh, Lee," Michaela said, looping her arms around his waist.

Leon chuckled softly. "Fucked up, huh? I put you all through hell with Lo because I can't suck it up and call my own family," he said, shaking his head. "I'm a broken mess."

"I love you, Lee," she said, kissing his shoulder.

"Why?"

"The day I met you, I knew you were broken. I could see it in your eyes," she admitted softly. "I knew you came up to the roof to think and to be alone and to tell you the truth, I almost left you there. But then you smiled at me and I was hooked. There was no way I was going to leave you up there to be broken alone. I was determined to try to fix you so that I could see you smile like that all the time."

He gave her a small smile before moving his arm around her shoulders. "Is that right?"

"Yeah," she said, leaning into his side. "I like to think I succeeded a little bit."

Leon's smile grew a little bigger. He caught her lips in a quick kiss. "I think so."

* * *

A bit dark, sorry. Did you like it? Is it crap? Should I re-write it? Does it even make sense? (It did to me, but I'm kind of tired and frazzled so what makes sense to me, may not make sense to you...hehe) Let me know in a _review_!

~Love Ink


	43. Conversations

So much love in my inbox! 203 reviews! YAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you to:

**Violet201: **Thank you! I figured she'd accept it but only because she hasn't told him everything about her past either. I wrote a version where she was angry at him for not telling her, but I really didn't like it because Mickey seemed too mean, so I chose to go with a nicer version. ;)

**Bindie:** I'm glad you thought it was cute! :) I have a lot more to go with this story. I might have to cut what I have in half and just make a third one…not sure yet. ;)

**Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**: I'm glad it made sense and that you liked Leon kicking Lauren out! :)

**Rue Dawn: **Aww shucks! :) I was so worried that writing about Leon's internal stuff would fall flat and to hear that I gave you shivers made my day! :D Thank you!

**xsparklesthatmagicalunicornx:** Gah! I'm so happy you loved it and it made you happy! :D

This chapter is short, sorry! It's a bit of a filler too…the next chapter will be juicier, I swear!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 43: Conversations_

**By: LoveInk**

Once at home, Michaela and Leon retreated to their room. She sat next to him on their bed, her hand in his as he stared at his phone. The number was already highlighted in his address book, but he just couldn't press the send button. "Lee, just call them," Michaela encouraged, squeezing his hand.

"I haven't talked to them in almost three years, Princess," he said, chewing on his toothpick nervously. "They hate me."

"Oh I doubt that," she assured him. She gently smoothed his hair back before pressing a kiss to his temple. "You're hard to hate. Trust me, I've tried."

He gave her a look that said her comment was not appreciated. "Gee. Thanks."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Go ahead, Lee. Just do it."

Sucking in a deep breath, he pressed the call button. He lifted the phone to his ear and waited as it rang. On the third ring, a high-pitched voice answered. " 'lo?"

"Um, hi," he said nervously. It had to be one of the twins. He felt a lump form in his throat at how grown up the girl on the other line sounded. "Who's this?"

"Leah," she answered suspiciously. "Who's this?"

"It's Leon," he replied. He would've said it was her uncle, but he felt he didn't deserve that title anymore. What kind of Uncle didn't call their nieces on their birthdays?

She gasped a little in surprise. "Uncle Leo?" she asked on a breath. "Really? How…how are you?"

"I'm good, sweetheart," he said swallowing hard. "How old are you now?"

With that one simple question, she was off, talking a million miles a minute. Michaela smiled when she saw Leon relax a bit and start talking just as animatedly. She stood and ruffled his hair before exiting the room to give him some privacy.

She found Alex sitting on the floor with Mia behind her, French braiding her hair. She lay down on the floor next to Alex before stretching out, putting her head in the other girl's lap. "How's the Gremlin, Preggo?" she asked, looking up at her.

Alex smiled and shrugged a shoulder. "It's chillin'. How's your man?"

Michaela frowned in response, raking her hands through her hair. "I'm worried about him, Lex. He really scared me for a moment there."

"Yeah, he supposed to be the calm one," Mia agreed with a nod. "Seeing him blow up like that was crazy."

"He holds so much in, it was bound to happen eventually," Alex commented, her fingers dragging through Michaela's hair. Over the past couple of weeks, the three girls had formed a tight bond. They were as close to sisters as they could ever get. "What's he up to now?"

"He talking to his sister in Arizona," Michaela answered easily. She closed her eyes, relaxed by the feeling of Alex playing with her hair.

Mia raised an eyebrow. "He has a sister in Arizona?"

"A sister, two nieces, and a nephew," she replied on a sigh. "He's kept a lot from me. Then again, I've kept a lot from him."

"I don't understand why people keep secrets about their families," Mia said with a scoff. "You and Vince never talk about your parents, hell, you don't talk about each other! Lee and Jess didn't know Vince had a sister until you were actually here! And Lee's got this whole mystery life. What are you hiding, Lex? Probably more secrets than the government."

Alex laughed and nodded. "Oh yeah. I didn't tell you but I'm secretly a duchess who was betrothed to the Prince of England. I turned him down though. Now I'm on the run because turning down a prince is punishable by law."

Mia pulled on her hair playfully. "You're hilarious," she commented sarcastically while Michaela giggled.

"Mickey's laughing," Alex pointed out.

Mia ignored her. "So, Mickey, who were the two names Lauren mentioned, Essie and Adri?"

Michaela sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "Adri's his older sister and Essie was his twin sister. She died in a motorcycle crash."

Mia's eyes widened. "Get out."

"You've see that tattoo he's got on his side, haven't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but _esperanza_ means hope in Spanish, doesn't it?" Mia asked Alex as she finished off her braid.

"Well, yeah, to most people," Alex answered vaguely. She gently moved Michaela's head off her lap. "Have you guys seen Vince?"

Michaela sat up, moving in front of Mia so the other girl could do her hair too. "He's in your room. Probably sleepin' or something," she explained before she and Mia launched into a debate about the meaning of Leon's other tattoos.

Alex wandered back to her room, peeking her head in to see if he was there. She could hear noises coming from the bathroom. Raising an eyebrow, she wandered towards them, surprised when she found him standing at the counter, the first aid kit opened. He was trying to wrap gauze around his arm and failing miserably. "Vince?" she asked cautiously.

Vince turned around, his blue eyes looking a little embarrassed. "I'm fine," he said automatically. "Michaela's nails are fuckin' sharp."

She took the medical tape from him and set it on the counter before peeling back the gauze. Thin scratches marred his skin, some cutting through the barely healed scars from the wire. She looked up at him with wide eyes; he had to be in pain. "Big guy…"

"Tiny, I'm fine," he insisted, pulling his arm out of her grasp. "It doesn't hurt."

"Liar," she scoffed, her eyes falling on the brace he'd laid out next to the first aid kit. He wouldn't have taken it out if he wasn't in pain. She looked up at him, mild amusement in her eyes. "When are you going to let me take care of you, big guy?"

He chuckled before holding his arm out to her, giving in. "I didn't put anything on it."

Alex smirked, why was she not surprised? "It doesn't hurt that badly, you big baby," she teased, grabbing a cotton ball and the small bottle of alcohol. The bottle, which had never been used before she'd met Vince, was just halfway full now, she noticed. She gently swiped over the scratches, smirking when she saw him flinch. "If it hurts, that means it's working."

He took note of the smirk that turned up the corner of her lips. "Why do you like to torture me?"

"Because it's fun," she quipped easily. At his offended glance, she giggled. "I don't like to torture you; I like to _take care _of you, silly. You take care of me so well; I like to return the favor every now and then."

Vince smiled, his good hand gently settling on her tummy. "Don't worry about me. Take care of the gremlin."

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "Not you too," she groaned. Leon had started the lovely trend of calling her unborn baby "gremlin" and apparently it had stuck. She finished taping up his arm and shook her head. "This poor kid is either going to be called a monster or a car for their whole life!"

"So you're still open to the idea of calling it Nissan?" he asked, his eyes shining with mischief.

She laughed reaching her arms up around his neck. "Not gonna happen, V."

He leant down and pressed a hot kiss on her lips. "Could I persuade you differently?" he mumbled against her lips.

She giggled and shook her head. "No."

His hands slid down her back coming to a stop on her rear, squeezing slightly. "How about now?"

"Nope."

He trailed his lips down the column of her throat, scraping his teeth along the soft skin there. He could feel the shivers go down her spine. Gently, he lifted her so her small bare feet were resting on top of his large work boots before walking her out into the bedroom. "And now?" he asked, his lips against her neck.

She smiled as he sat down on the bed. Standing between his legs, she traced the lines of his face with the tips of her fingers. She cocked her head to the side as she studied him. "Did you know that under all the scruff, you have dimples?" she asked, her thumbs brushing over his beard. "Right here," she said putting a finger on each cheek, "and right here. They're sneaky though and they only come out when you really smile."

Vince smiled up at her and she grinned in response. "There they are," she said on a giggle. She leant forward and kissed each one. "I hope our baby has those dimples."

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her onto the bed. Pushing up her shirt, he placed a soft kiss on her stomach. He looked up at her, studying every inch of her face. He'd always thought she was beautiful, ever since the first time he saw her in that small dance studio. If someone were to tell him then that he'd end up engaged to her with a baby on the way, he would never have believed them. This was not something he'd ever dreamed of wanting. But here he was, head over heels in love with this woman. Now that he had her, he could never see himself without her. "It's going to be beautiful, just like its Mama."

She smiled, her hand reaching up to play with his hair. "_Ti amo_." (_I love you_ in Italian.)

"_Te amo, tambien_," he replied back in Spanish. (I love you, too)

Alex sighed happily. It'd been awhile since she was this happy, this content with her life. "Will you still love me when I'm a whale?"

Vince chuckled before nodding enthusiastically. "I'll love you even more then," he answered, kissing her stomach one more time.

* * *

What'd you think? Review, review, review!

How many of you have seen **Fast Five**? Let me know what you thought of it in your review too! I saw it again last night and I still am a big fan! :)

~Love Ink


	44. Repercussions

Its been one hell of a week for me! 3 midterms, ugh. :(

A thousand thanks to the amazing people who took the time to review: **Rue Dawn**, **Violet201**, **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, sweetist of sin, lovewerido, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, **and **Vincesdirtygirl** (Love the name! and I'm glad you love the story! :]). I always appreciate all of your input, compliments, ideas, etc. etc. :D

…just promise you won't hate me after this chapter… :\

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 44: Repercussions_

**By: LoveInk**

A loud knock on their door made Alex jump. It was rare anyone knocked on their door, they usually just yelled at them. Raising an eyebrow, Vince got out of the bed, grabbing a pair of pants and pulling them on before opening the door. When he opened it, he found Mia looking very pale underneath her tan. He raised an eyebrow in question. "What's up, Mia?"

Mia shifted nervously from foot to foot. "The feds are here, V. They want to talk to you."

Vince's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. He had a feeling the heists would catch up with him eventually, but it had been so long since he'd last heard from the feds, he thought he might be safe. "Right now?"

She nodded. "Get dressed," she suggested. "Lee and Mickey are stalling right now, but they want to talk to you."

He nodded and closed the door. Alex watched as he crossed the room, his shoulders tense. He swore quietly to himself as he ran his hands through his hair. Her stomach flip-flopped, she'd only seen him this nervous once and it was before a heist. "Big guy, what's going on?" she asked, a little fear bleeding into her voice. Vince pulled on a long sleeved shirt in an attempt to cover his scars thinking it'd be best to hide the physical evidence from the heists. When he didn't answer her, she called out his name, "Vince?"

He turned to her, taking in a deep breath to try and calm himself down for her sake. "The feds are here, Tiny."

"What?" she breathed, already halfway out of the bed. "For you?"

Vince nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair again. "I'm sure it'll be okay. They can't come after me now, right? It's been too long."

Alex pulled on a pair of Vince's workout shorts and one of her black tank tops. "I don't know, baby," she said, looking at him with wide eyes. "Vince, what if they…"

"Stop," he cut her off, turning towards her. His hands gently cupped her face, thumbs trailing over her cheeks. "I love you, okay? Whatever happens, just know that."

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. He wasn't supposed to talk like that; he was supposed to assure her that nothing would happen, not talk like he already knew he was going away. "No," she choked out, shaking her head at him. "Nothing's going to happen, right? Right?" When he didn't say anything, she put her forehead to her chest, trying her best not to cry.

He felt his heart break as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. He couldn't promise her that nothing would happen. The fact that the feds were at their door wasn't a good sign for any of them. "Let's just see what they want, okay?" he said, holding her tightly. "No tears yet. Just relax."

She sniffed, nodding before standing on her toes to catch his lips in a quick kiss. "Okay."

Alex followed him out, wiping at her face as she did so. There standing in the living room was a tall man flanked by another slightly balding man and a very familiar face. "Rube?" she questioned, looking at her brother-in-law in shock.

Rube nodded to her in greeting, but didn't say anything more. The tall man in the middle cleared his throat. "Good afternoon. I'm Agent Bilkins with the FBI. Mr. Catella, we have some questions for you."

Vince nodded slowly. "All right."

"Now, we can do this the hard way and take you downtown in cuffs or you can cooperate," Bilkins said cordially.

"I'll cooperate," he replied easily. It was out of character for him, but he had Alex now. He knew putting up a fight would only stress her out more and stress wasn't good for their baby. Plus, going to the police station meant taking the heat away from Michaela and Leon.

Mia cleared her throat. "Can we come too?" she asked from her place next to Alex. At Bilkins' questioning look, she continued, "Please, they're about to get married. She deserves to be there."

"Are you Mia Toretto?" he asked, not answering her. She nodded in response. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "We have questions for you too. You can both come and wait in the lobby if it'll make you happy."

"Thank you, sir," Alex said softly.

* * *

Vince sat calmly at a table in the interrogation room. Bilkins and the police sergeant, Tanner, stood in front of him while Rube stood in the corner, observing. Bilkins tossed a file onto the table before clearing his throat. "You know why we brought you here, I assume?"

He shrugged a shoulder in response. "Sure," he answered coolly.

"Now, we can take this to court or we can settle this the easy way. I'm willing to negotiate a deal with you. I've got bigger fish to fry than you, Catella. I'm after Toretto. Do you know where he is?"

Vince sighed and shrugged again. He was torn at that moment. A part of him wanted to tell the Agent to go fuck himself, while the other part wanted to tell him everything. "What's in it for me?"

"A shorter sentence, a better chance for early parole once your sentence starts. That's all I can give you right now."

He clenched his jaw and inhaled deeply. That's not what he wanted to hear. "How much time am I lookin' at?"

"I can put you in there for up to ten years if you don't cooperate, Catella. If you do, a few months. Like I said, all I want is Toretto. You give me good information, and I'll make your sentence short and sweet. Get you back home to your fiancée as fast as possible."

Vince didn't miss the way Rube winced at the word "fiancée." Sighing, he nodded his head. "All right. I'll tell you what I know," he lied. There was no way he was going to give up his best friend, but he knew there were certain vague details he could say that would please the feds.

* * *

Alex stood from the uncomfortable couch when Rube walk in. She rushed over to him. "What's going on, Rube? What's happening?" she asked, her green eyes as wide as saucers.

Rube grabbed her arms, trying to calm her down and keep her still. "I told you to let him go, Lexi," he said in a low voice. "I warned you."

Her breath caught in her throat as her vision was blurred by tears. "No," she breathed, watching as Bilkins and Tanner walked Vince out of the interrogation room, one handcuff hanging off his wrist.

She went to run to him but Mia caught her arm, holding her back. "Lex, relax," Mia urged, knowing stress was bad for the baby.

"Stop! He didn't do anything wrong!" Alex shouted, pulling against Mia's grasp. She sent a desperate look at Rube. "Rube! _Do_ something! Please!"

Mia sneered at the man when he turned his head away from her as if he didn't care. She let go of Alex's wrist and the girl ran to Vince, throwing her arms around him and burying her face into his chest. "Don't leave me," Alex sobbed, clinging to him.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, knowing it was going to be a long time before he got the chance to do it again. "Tiny, it's all right," he assured her, though he knew it wasn't. He pressed a kiss to her head. "I'll be back, okay? It's just a few months, Tiny. Don't worry."

She didn't say anything, just held onto him tighter. He watched as Tanner shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat. He gave Vince a glance that clearly meant it was time to go. Sighing, Vince gently hooked a finger under her chin to lift up her face so he could see it. "I'll be fine, Tiny," he whispered, bending to press a soft kiss to her lips. "You be good, all right? Take care of the Gremlin. I'll be home soon."

Alex nodded, more tears falling down her face. "I love you, Vince."

He gave her one last, long kiss and one final squeeze before pulling away. "I love you too, Tiny."

When she finally let him go, Mia was there waiting with open arms. She turned into them, burying her face into her neck as she cried. Vince caught Mia's eyes. "Take care of them," he said, gently running his hand over Alex's soft hair. Mia nodded, her cheek against Alex's head. He felt his heart break as he took one last look at her before walking out the door and to the police car.

* * *

:( I thought this was necessary. There's no way Vince could just live in LA without having any repercussions from the truck heists. I imagine the feds didn't come until a few weeks later because a) they were putting all their energy on Dominic and Brian originally and b) Vince was in the hospital...Does that make sense? :\

Anyways, let me know what you think! :)

~Love Ink


	45. Family

A MILLION thanks to: **Rue Dawn**, **Vincesdirtygirl **(I'm so bad at writing smut! Sorry! :\ I'm sure your imagination is great! Hehe I hope you do well on your paper!), **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**, **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** (Thanks! My exams actually went fairly well!), **Violet201**,** xXBXx**, and **D274**. You guys ROCK!

Exams are done for awhile! Time for an ice cold Corona before seeing Fast Five…again. :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 45: Family_

**By: LoveInk**

Leon and Michaela were the only people Vince wanted at his sentencing. He'd made that very clear in the phone call he'd made home. Michaela had seen the hurt in Alex's eyes when he told her. Alex had fought him tooth and nail, yelling every mean obscenity she could at him. She was his fiancée; after all, she deserved to be at the hearing. Somehow, he'd broken down her defense and with a few tears; she gave in to his wishes.

Sitting at the sentencing, Michaela knew why he'd wanted Alex to stay home. It was hard as hell to watch him stand up there in his ugly orange jumpsuit while his sentence was read. Through the whole thing, she wanted to cry out and yell at the judge. This was all Dominic's fault. Vince should not be taking the fall for this. She held tightly to Leon's hand, squeezing it very time the urge to curse and swear at the judge came.

Leon's jaw was tightly clenched through the whole thing. He knew he should be up there with Vince; after all, he had taken part in the heists too. He told Vince he would take responsibility for his part, but the other man had almost killed him at the mere suggestion stating that someone had to be home to take care of his girls. And he would take care of them. Michaela, Alex, and Mia were his family now. If they needed him, he sure as hell was going to be there for them.

When the sentencing was finally over, Michaela hugged her brother tightly. Leon nodded to him. "I got eyes on the girls and the baby," he said, his voice low and rich with promise.

Vince nodded appreciatively. "Thanks." He told Michaela he loved her and to be good and with that, he was taken away by the police.

Once they were finally in the car, Michaela broke down. This wasn't right! Vince didn't deserve to go to jail! It was Dominic they wanted! It was Dominic who should be sentenced and kept locked away where he couldn't hurt anyone else. "This is so wrong," she said, silent tears falling from her eyes.

"I know," Leon agreed softly. He lifted his hand off the shifter and brushed away some of her tears before putting it back. "He'll be fine, though. He's a scary fucker. No one will mess with him."

Michaela smiled slightly and nodded. "I know. It's just hard to see him like that. Orange is not his color."

He chuckled lightly before growing serious. "I'm more worried about Alex. That judge was an ass. A whole year! He doesn't deserve that."

"Better than _five_ years," she replied on a sigh. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes when she thought of what that sentence meant. "God, he'll miss the baby."

"He's got a chance at parole in a few months. He might make it out on good behavior."

Michaela gave him a doubtful look. "Right. My brother. Good behavior. Didn't he sink his fist into your face once for a sarcastic comment?"

Leon nodded. He remembered that punch to the jaw very well. "To be fair, I deserved it. I should know better than to make sex jokes about you in front of him."

"You don't think people in prison will deserve it?"

"He's got a lot more to lose in a situation like that," he replied on a shrug. "I don't think he'd risk it on some punk who doesn't matter in the long run."

Michaela sighed, running a hand through her long hair as the house came into view. "How am I going to tell Alex?"

"You don't have to. I will," he said as he pulled into the driveway. He walked around the Skyline and opened the door for Michaela. She grabbed onto his hand and held it tightly as they opened the door.

Alex was waiting on the couch in the living room with Mia. She was wearing one of Vince's sweatshirts and a pair of his workout shorts. Her hair was a complete mess and the bags under her eyes were evidence that she had not slept at all the night before. Upon seeing them, she jumped up from the couch and rushed over to them. "So? How long?" she asked, her voice frantic.

Leon shifted nervously, wondering what the best way to break it to her was. He didn't want to upset her too much, knowing it wasn't good for her. "Lex…" he started on a sigh.

"How long, Lee?" she demanded, her green eyes frustrated. She was sick of everyone treating her like she was fragile. First, Vince not wanting her to go the sentencing and now, Leon didn't want to tell her what his sentence was! She was pregnant, not made of porcelain! "Months? Years? C'mon!"

"Months."

She wanted to smack him then for hedging around the direct answer. "Was there a specific number of months, Leon?" she asked through clenched teeth.

When he hesitated, Michaela sucked in a deep breath and answered, "Twelve."

Alex's anger quickly faded. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Twelve months. She wasn't fooled by the month part, she knew twelve months was a year. A whole year by herself. She'd have to deal with all the baby stuff by herself. The doctor's appointments, decorating the baby room, getting big, actually having the baby…she'd have to do it all alone. "No," she breathed, tears coming to her eyes. "No, he can't. That's not right."

Leon moved forward to embrace her, but she stepped away. She shook her head at him, still in denial. "You're lying," she gasped as her tears fell. "You have to be."

She turned on her heel and practically ran back to her room. She spun around, slamming the door shut behind her and locking it. Pressing her back against the door, she slid down until she was sitting. She leant her forehead against her knees and just cried. He was going to miss everything.

"Baby girl, open the door," Leon tried, jiggling the handle. The sound of her crying was breaking his heart. "C'mon, Lex."

Michaela watched him fight with Alex through the door. Finally he gave up, leaning his forehead against the door. "Give her some space, Lee," she suggested, echoing Alex's earlier words. "Let her deal with this her own way."

Hours later, Michaela found Leon kneeling in front of Alex's door, the tools for his miniature cars lying on the ground by his knee. He had one in his mouth with another stuck in the door lock; his green eyes were concentrated on the little keyhole. "Baby, what are you doing?" she asked, leaning on the wall next to the door.

"She's been cryin' in there for hours," he muttered around the tiny screwdriver. "I can't take it anymore. She needs someone and I'm gonna break open this fuckin' lock to get to her."

She couldn't help but smile at his obvious concern. She'd never seen him so wound up about another girl. "This brother-sister thing you two have going is legit, huh?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What?"

"It's just…you don't really know each other. I mean, me and Dom are like brother and sister because we've known each other for years and same with Mia and Vince, but you and Lex…you barely know each other."

Leon scowled at her, shaking his head disappointedly. He never thought he'd have to explain himself to Michaela. "She's got a good heart," he explained vaguely. Truth be told, he and Alex knew a lot more about each other than people thought. When Michaela was gone, before Alex and Vince were official, they had spent hours talking while they waited for Michaela to call. Alex knew more about him than most people.

"Okay, Lee," she said leaning forward to peck his cheek. She knew that was the best answer she was going to get from him at the moment.

He watched her walk away, completely confused by the whole exchange. When she disappeared into their room, he shrugged it off and went back to work. Moments later, the small click of the door unlocking made him grin in triumph. Getting to his feet, he opened the door slowly and headed into the dark room. The moon light that filtered in illuminated her small shape. She was curled into a tight ball, her eyes staring at a picture frame.

"Hey baby girl," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and gently pushing the hair out of her face. He took the picture frame out of her hands. It was a picture of Vince driving, a small smile on his face, the wind tousling his hair. He had that dumb grin on his face that he always had when he was with her. "That's a nice picture."

She sighed. "It's from the first day we met."

Leon was surprised that the picture had been taken that early in their relationship. Had it really been love at first sight with those two? Because from where he sat, the look on Vince's face had love written all over it. "Did you know then that you loved him?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "I was with Eddie," she said softly, "but I felt this…pull to him. I tried really hard to ignore it. I told myself that he was just another friend like Ronnie or you, but…some things you can't deny."

He nodded slowly, setting the frame on her nightstand. "He's going to be all right, you know. This isn't his first time."

She sighed again, blowing her hair out of her face. "I know. But I'm still…I'm so scared for him," she whispered, the feeling bleeding into her voice.

Leon sighed and lay down next to her. She scooted in closer, laying her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her back. "He'll be fine, Lex. It's just a few months."

"It's a _year_, Lee," she said back, her voice still sounding choked. "I'll have had the baby by the time he gets out. All by myself."

He gave her side a squeeze. "Shorty, you'll never be by yourself. You have a whole army of aunts and uncles that are here for you no matter what. You have to know that."

As if to emphasize the point, both Michaela and Mia snuck in. Michaela sat lay down next to Leon, leaning her head on his shoulder while Mia lay on Alex's other side. "We can go visit him," Michaela suggested softly.

"And I'll take tons of pictures to give him," Mia put in. "He can decorate his cell with them."

"Ronnie's on his way too," Michaela said, a small smile on her face when she heard Alex's surprised gasp. She knew the girl needed her best friend, so when she saw Alex's phone sitting on the counter, she made the call. "I didn't tell him everything. You can still be the first to tell him about Gremlin."

Alex reached over to grab Michaela's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you."

"Of course," she murmured in response, squeezing back. "We're a family now. We have to be there for each other."

* * *

So what'd you think? Let me know in a review please! I look forward to reading them! As always your opinions, ideas, etc are always appreciated and well loved! :D

There's a small nod to FastFive...can you spot it? ;)

~Love Ink


	46. Being Strong

A BILLION thanks to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, xXBXx** (I hope you find someone to go with you soon! :\) **Trickster707**, **VincesDirtyGirl** ** Rue Dawn**, **Vincesdirtygirl**, **Rue Dawn, **and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx** (lol I've seen Fast Five three times now. :D I probably won't see it again until the DVD is out…unless someone wants to go see it in IMAX. Hehe.) **THANK YOU ALL!** You guys are awesome! :D

The FastFive reference was when Leon tells Vince he's "got eyes on" the girls and the baby. :) Vince and Dom both say that to each other in FastFive so I figured it was probably something the team said to each other…especially since at the end of the first one Leon and Vince do the whole eye pointy thingy… ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 46: Being Strong_

**By: LoveInk**

The next day, Alex woke up feeling sick to her stomach. She gently maneuvered her way out of the very crowded bed. It seemed that everyone in the house decided to sleep there. Leon was lying on his stomach; one arm had been thrown over her while his head rested on Michaela's chest. Mia, who had been lying on Alex's other side, was curled into a small ball. Alex was impressed to see she'd gotten out without waking any of them up. Her stomach lurched again and she ran to the bathroom, clutching the toilet as she emptied her stomach. With a grunt, she stood, rubbing at her belly. "You're killing me, smalls," she murmured to the living being inside of her.

She rinsed out her mouth before brushing her teeth. She studied herself in the mirror with a frown as she worked the toothbrush around her mouth. Her dark hair, which had been in such a neat braid the night before, was a complete mess. Fly-aways made a halo around her head. Her eyes were red from crying half the night away. She rubbed at them, hoping the red would clear, but there was no such luck. Sighing, she finished brushing her teeth and patted her hair down with some water. When that didn't work, she pulled the braid over her shoulder and carefully undid the hair-tie.

Alex paused before unweaving her hair, a lump catching in her throat. That was Vince's job. He loved undoing her braid, his thick fingers gently sliding through her soft hair, unweaving Mia's handiwork. She'd lay cuddled against his chest while they watched a movie or talked, all the while his fingers would play with her hair. Tears clouded her vision, distorting her reflection.

He should be there. There was no doubt if he was, he'd have been out of the bed the minute she moved. He was usually a deep sleeper, but for some reason, every time she moved to get out of bed, he woke up with her. Sometimes he'd try and pull her in closer, get her to stay in bed. When he knew she was leaving to surf, he'd mumble a sleepy "love you," before his eyes closed and he went back to sleep. Alex bit her lip, trying to hold in a sob. She missed him already.

Stepping into the shower, she turned the water as hot as it could go, letting it soak through her skin to calm her. She closed her eyes tightly, taking deep breaths. She could do this. She would be fine. It was just a year. Only 365 days which was 8,766 hours which meant 525,600 minutes. She'd done the math the night before as she was trying to fall asleep.

"I can do this," she repeated to herself in a low voice. Vince wouldn't want her to cry over him anymore. He'd hate that. He'd want her to be strong…and she would be for him. Her hand gently settled over her stomach. "_We_ can do this, Grem."

The doorbell was ringing a constant beat once Alex stepped out of the shower. She quickly pulled on a pair of her dance shorts and whatever tank top she found on the ground. She didn't know if it was hers, Vince's, or Leon's, until she pulled it over her head and smelled the familiar scent of soap and something else…something that was manly and distinctly Vince. Instead of getting upset, she smiled. _I can do this_, she repeated to herself, determined not to cry anymore.

She padded her way to the door, standing on her toes to look through the peephole to see who it was. Smiling, she ripped open the door and was instantly swept off her feet. Ronnie's strong arms squeezed her tightly as he swung her around. "What's up, gorgeous girl?" he asked, setting her down before he kissed her cheek. "I heard you missed me?"

Alex rolled her eyes but nodded. It was true, she had missed him. "How much did Mickey tell you?"

"Not much. She just said Vince got put in jaul and that you were a mess," he answered with a shrug. "So I decided to come and fix you up." He held up a bottle of very expensive tequila. "Thought this would be a good place to start!"

She smirked, of course Ronnie would bring alcohol. "No booze for me, Ron," she said pushing the bottle out of his face before heading to the kitchen.

His face fell briefly before he chased after her. "Oh c'mon, Lexi," he begged. "This tequila costs like eighty bucks. I splurged."

Alex reached up on her toes to grab a bowl before getting some cereal. "That's great, but I can't," she insisted before putting a spoonful in her mouth.

"You're a fuckin' party pooper," he pouted, shaking his head at her.

She smirked, swallowing her cereal before she said, "I'm pregnant, you fool!"

His hazel eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw dropping. "No way."

She spooned more cereal into her mouth. She didn't know if it was the pregnancy hormones or what but Frosted Flakes had never tasted so good. "Way," she said around the mouthful.

Ronnie grabbed the bowl out of her hands, set it down on the counter next to her, and then swept her up into another bear hug. "I'm going to be a fuckin' uncle! That's freakin' amazing!" He set her down, the biggest smile on his face. "Oh, I'm going to spoil that kid rotten. How far along are you?"

"A handful of weeks. Not really sure," she said flippantly. It was true. She knew she was somewhere between five and seven weeks along but it depended on how you counted it.

"Vince knows though, right? You told him before he left? How long is he gone for anyways?"

"He knows," she said on a sigh. "He'll be gone for a year which is…awesome."

Ronnie frowned, shaking his head. "That sucks, Lexi. I'm sorry. But it's all right. I'll be your baby daddy while he's away. I'll do all the baby daddy crap with you."

She was caught between the urge to laugh and cry at how excited Ronnie was about the baby. "Baby daddy crap…" she trailed, wondering what that meant in the mind of Ronnie Romero.

"Yeah, girl. I'll rub your feet and get you pickles and ice cream at midnight. Anything you want. I'll be your man slave."

"Oh wow," Mia commented as she walked into the room. "That's quite an offer."

Ronnie's smile got even bigger at the sight of Mia. "Mia Toretto," he greeted, strutting over to her. "How are you doing, doll?" he asked as he swept her up into a hug.

Another wave of nausea hit as Alex watched her two friends talk. She tried to be smooth about leaving to the bathroom, knowing Ronnie and Mia would make a bigger deal out of it than they should. Somehow, she managed to leave without having them catch on. She practically ran through her room to the bathroom and made it just in time.

"You all right, baby girl?" Leon's sleepy voice asked.

Alex looked up at him from her place on the floor. He was rubbing at his eyes tiredly; his hair was sticking up on the side from the way he slept. "I'll be fine," she murmured, before bending over the toilet again.

His hands deftly swept the hair out of her face, holding it back for her. "Gremlin acting up?" he asked as his other hand gently rubbed her back.

Sighing, she sat down on the tile floor and nodded. "Yeah."

"You feed it after midnight?" he teased referencing the movie _Gremlins_ for which the kid was nicknamed. He chuckled when she glared at him before he stood, extending a hand to help her up.

He watched her as she brushed her teeth. "I'm going to visit him today," she said around the toothbrush as she locked eyes with her pseudo-brother.

"That's a long ass drive, Short stuff," he replied, disapproval in his green eyes.

"I know," she quipped before rinsing her mouth out. In the back of her mind, she hoped all this tooth-brushing would somehow lead to whiter teeth and easier dentist visits. "I'll bring snacks."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her. It was always about food with Vince and Alex. Maybe that's why they made such a great couple. "You want me to go with you?"

"No," she sang, brushing past him. She began rifling through her drawers looking for the perfect outfit to wear. She settled on a simple Beatles concert tee and some jean shorts. She headed back into the bathroom to change.

"You sure, Shorty?" Leon called through the door. "I don't like the idea of you driving alone."

Alex opened the door, fully clothed and scowled at him. "I'll be _fine_, Lee. Relax. I've driven longer distances in the past. Plus, I won't be alone," she stated rubbing her stomach to emphasize her point.

Leon rolled his eyes at her. "Whatever you say. Just be safe."

"Will do. I'm going to introduce you to Ronnie and then go," she said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of the room.

Leon let her drag him down the hall and to the kitchen where both Mia and Michaela were giggling like little school girls as Ronnie talked. Leon didn't like him already. "Ron," Alex called, catching his attention. "This is Leon."

Ronnie stood and crossed the room towards them. He held out his hand for Leon to shake. "Nice to finally meet you, man," he said sincerely as they shook hands. "Lexi talks about you all the time. Thanks for being there for her when I can't be."

Leon nodded, unsure of how to react. "Yeah," he said awkwardly.

"Mickey tells me that's your Skyline outside," Ronnie stated, trying to make conversation. "It's a pretty sweet ride. Nice color."

"You like the color," Leon repeated, dumbfounded. He got compliments on the Skyline all the time, but he had never heard one about the paint job. Maybe this Ronnie guy wasn't so bad.

Alex fought the urge to giggle at their awkwardness. "You have to remember that Ron's car is that disgustingly bright orange truck I borrowed once. The boy has no taste," she explained. She slipped on her flip-flops and made her way to the door, humming happily to herself.

"Where are you going?" Mia called out to her, her dark eyes shining with curiosity.

"Prison!" she shouted turning around and walking backwards so she could address Mia.

"Good!" Ronnie yelled back. "You should go there for insulting my car like that!"

Alex's only response was the slamming of the front door behind her. Mia shook her head at the small girl. "I swear she was crying her eyes out last night. Now she's bouncing around and humming."

Ronnie shrugged a shoulder arrogantly. "I do that to people."

* * *

Thoughts? Opinions? Do you love Ronnie? Do you hate him? Is he obnoxious?

As always your thoughts/comments/criticism are much appreciated and well loved. :)

~Love Ink


	47. You Can't Always Get What You Want

This chapter is super long! 7 pages! :)

A MILLION thanks to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, xXBXx**, **Rue Dawn, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, VincesDirtyGirl, Mrs Dominic Toretto Aus, **and** sweetist sin!** **THANK YOU ALL!** You guys are amazing! I really appreciate the time you take to review! :)

I'm loving all the Ronnie love too! He's a blast to write so I'm glad you like him! :)

The chapter title is from my ALL TIME favorite Rolling Stones song with the same title (which I also don't own). The song has nothing really to do with this chapter but I thought the title fit. ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 47: You Can't Always Get What You Want_

**By: LoveInk**

After a three our drive, Alex was happy to finally pull into the prison parking lot. She got out of the Jeep and looked up at the massive cement building before her and felt a jolt of excitement. She was that much closer to Vince. After locking her doors, she skipped towards the front desk. The prison guard behind it was a big, dark man with a bald head and light brown eyes. His name tag read "Ben". He looked at her with an eyebrow raised; it was rare people were so excited to come to prison. "Can I help you, Miss?" he asked, eyeing her up and down.

"Yes. I'm here to visit my fiancée," she stated, trying to keep her smile at bay. Looking like a crazy person was only going to make getting into the prison more difficult.

Ben nodded, typing something up on his computer. "Who are you visiting, Miss?"

"Vincent Catella," she said, the name sending another wave of excitement through her.

He typed in his name, no doubt bringing up the list for allowed visitors. "Now what's your name?"

"Alexandra Salvatore," she stated, rolling up on the balls of her feet to see over the counter better.

A frown turned down the corners of the big man's mouth. "Hold on a moment," he said, trying to give her a reassuring smile. "You don't happen to go by Mia, do you?"

"No sir," replied Alex, starting to get nervous. The sad look on his face did not bode well for her. "Is there a problem?"

"You're not on the visitor's list, Miss," Ben answered, his frown deepening.

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Excuse me? There must be some mistake."

He turned the computer screen towards her, showing her a handwritten list that had been copied into it. "Is this your fiancee's handwriting?"

The dark, scratchy looking thin lines and angles of his handwriting glared back at her. Only two names were listed there neither of which were hers. "Yeah, that's it."

"Are either of those two names yours?"

She was tempted to tell him yes, but she knew they checked I.D. and there was no way she could pull of being Mia. The girl was almost five inches taller. "No," she said, trying to hold back her tears. "Please, sir. I just drove three long hours and I'm pregnant and I just want to see him. Please." She hated playing the pregnancy card, but if it would get her anywhere near Vince, she was willing to try.

"Miss, if it were up to me, I'd let you in, but I can't. There's a strict protocol and even if I let you past me, the next guards won't be as nice. We'll let him know you came by. The inmates can use time cards to call family members. Maybe he'll call and explain."

Alex nodded, feeling overwhelmed by everything. "Thank you, Sir," she said on a breath.

"You're welcome." Ben gave her a sympathetic smile and a nod. "Drive home safely, Miss."

She nodded again before heading out the door, feeling like a deflated balloon. She hopped up into the driver's seat and sat there for a minute as angry tears clouded her vision. How dare he not put her on the list! She was his fiancée! Didn't he want to see her? Slamming her palm against the steering wheel, she let out a frustrated growl. Damn him for being so selfish! Damn him for leaving her like this! How was she supposed to go a whole year without seeing him?

Turning the key in the ignition, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. It would be fine. She'd talk some sense into him the next time he called and he'd add her to the list. Simple as that. "Papi's being silly, Grem," she said to her unborn child as she drove. "He'll come around. We'll make him come around, huh?"

* * *

Leon and Ron were sitting in front of the television on the floor of the living room, racing each other on the Playstation when the front door flew open. Leon's eyes followed Alex's small form as she stormed into the house, throwing her purse on the ground before heading straight to her room. He looked at Ronnie who had one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

They paused the game, standing up at the same time and running towards Alex's room, shoving each other out of the way to try and get there first. Leon got there first. "Shorty? You all right?" he shouted through the locked door.

"Go away!" she yelled, her voice muffled by what Leon assumed was a pillow.

Ronnie pushed Leon out of the way. "Let me try," he murmured quietly. "Lexi, open the door!"

"Leave me alone!" she shouted back.

"Nice," Leon shot back in response, rolling his eyes at Ronnie. Apparently, they were equally not wanted. "Baby girl, you know we ain't leavin' 'til you open this door."

He heard Alex sigh before the door opened. She wasn't crying like he had assumed she was, instead she looked furious. "What do you want?" she growled, glaring at both of them.

"What the hell happened? I thought you'd be in a good mood after seeing your man," Ronnie commented pushing past her and into the room. There were no boundaries between the two. Ronnie would go into her room whether he was invited or not. Leon was more respectful and waited outside.

"I would be if I got to see him," she muttered through gritted teeth. She stepped back to let Leon in. "He didn't put me on the list. He doesn't want to see me."

Ronnie chuckled from where he was spread across the bed, his hands underneath his head, the picture of relaxation. "What an asshole!" he stated, shaking his head slightly.

Leon glared at Ronnie as he sat down on the bed, watching Alex pace back and forth in front of him, her hands clenched into tight fists. "Did he tell you about that before?"

She shook her head. "I knew he didn't want me at the sentencing, but I'm not allowed to see him ever, Lee. That's not right. It's not fair! _You're_ on the list, Lee! He put you on the list over me! What the hell!"

"Is it just me or are Mickey and Mia on the list too?"

"You and Mia."

Leon's eyebrows raised in surprise; he definitely wasn't expecting to hear Mia's name. He thought for sure it would be him and Michaela. "Really?"

"He doesn't want the two people he loves the most to see him in prison," Ronnie said as though it was obvious. When they gave him questioning glances, he shrugged. "No offense, Lee, but he probably doesn't give two shits if you see him in the slammer and Mia said she used to go see her brother all the time, so she's used to it. But you and Michaela…you're different. Neither of you have ever seen the inside of a jail or know what it's like. He's protecting you."

She stopped pacing and just looked at him. Sometimes it was hard to believe such insightful things came from his big mouth. "Huh," said Alex, pensively.

"I know. I surprise myself sometimes," he shot back, a teasing smile on his face. "It makes sense though, right? I mean, I don't really know the guy, but I get the feeling he wouldn't want his little sister and his fiancée around other prison inmates. Not exactly the nicest of guys."

"Stupid over protective asshole," Alex cursed under her breath. "Why couldn't he have just let me in! I can handle it! What is it with him and this alpha male business?"

Both guys just shrugged in response which only served to make her more frustrated. In the distance, the house phone was ringing loudly. Leon heard Michaela grab it and sighed thankfully. He had to admit, he wasn't surprised that Vince hadn't put either of the girls on the list. When he had adamantly demanded she not be at the sentencing, Leon had gotten the feeling that she wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the prison if Vince had a say in it. "Just write him a letter."

"Yes, Leon, because that's the same thing as seeing him," she shot back at him sarcastically.

"Write him a dirty letter," Ronnie suggested. "Bet he'd like that."

Alex threw a pillow at his face. "Shut up, Ron."

Michaela walked in holding the house phone to her ear. She held it out to Alex. "Phone call."

She shoved her hand away. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now," she answered, miserably.

"Yes you do," Michaela insisted, shoving the phone back into her friend's hand. "Go ahead."

She glared at Michaela before pressing the phone to her ear with a heavy sigh. "Hello?"

"Hey Tiny," a familiar gruff voice answered back.

The feelings of anger and sadness battled inside of her as she sat down on the bed, the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder. She didn't know whether to yell at him or cry. "You didn't put me on the list," she choked out, tears falling from her eyes. "I came to visit and they said I couldn't. Why wouldn't you put me on the list? You don't want to see me?"

His sad sigh sent shivers down her spine. "I want to see you, but not like this, Tiny."

"Mia gets to see you.

"I only put her on there so she can tell fill me in on stuff Leon can't," he explained easily. He'd obviously thought through the plan before putting it into action. "Plus, she's a pro at this. She had to do it with Dominic."

Alex took in a deep breath, trying her hardest to stop crying like a baby. "Big guy, a year is a long time…"

"I know, baby. Believe me, I know," he said, pausing briefly after his sentence as though a thought had just occurred to him. "You'll wait, right? You're not gonna go find a new man."

"Vincent Cash Catella," she exclaimed, making the other three people in the room wince at the volume of her voice. "I have your ring on my finger, your freaking baby inside of me, what the hell else do I need to prove to you that I'm not going anywhere! You're stuck with me now, you idiot!"

"Ladies and gentlemen check that out, the first pregnancy mood swing. Auh-mazing!" Ronnie commented with a laugh. She leant over to pinch his arm as hard as she could. He stopped laughing then.

Vince's soft chuckle relaxed her a little bit. "Good," he said, still laughing. "Listen Tiny, I got to go. My phone time's running out."

"No!" she exclaimed before she could stop herself. They'd barely had a chance to really talk. "No, don't leave yet. Talk to me, big guy."

"I can't right now. Be good, Tiny. Take care of Grem. Say hi to Lee and my sisters and try not to kill anyone. I love you."

"Vince!" Alex tried to stall him. It was too late; the other end had already gone dead. She threw the phone on the ground in frustration. "Stupid."

Leon waited for a moment, knowing what was coming next. Tears. Sure enough, two minutes later they were falling from her eyes while she angrily tried to swipe them away. "Stop being such a sap, Lex. He's fine. Stress is bad for the baby," Ronnie commented, lazily throwing a pillow in the air.

Michaela grabbed it before he could catch it. "That's our cue to leave, Mr. Insensitive," she said, grabbing Ronnie's wrist and trying to pull him off the bed. He was too big for her to budge, but her point was clear and he got up on his own.

"I was just sayin'…" he started as he followed Michaela out of the room. "She wasn't being very sensitive when she pinched me."

Leon shook his head at them. He reached out an arm and wrapped it around Alex's shoulders, pulling her in closer to him. "You can cry all you want, Shorty."

"I hate crying," she managed to get out between sobs. "This sucks."

He chuckled and kissed her temple. "You look pretty hot while doing it," he teased, smirking when she sent him an evil glare.

"Shut up," she said, a smile turning up the corners of her lips. Leon always knew what to say to make her smile. She let out a heavy sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I have my first doctor's appointment tomorrow. Vince was so excited to go with me, but now Mia's going instead."

Leon fought the urge to make a disgusted face. He'd gone with his older sister to a doctor's appointment once when she was pregnant with the twins. He knew how they checked on babies. Knew exactly what they put and where they put it. "You don't want me to go, do you?" he asked, his disgust bleeding into his voice.

"Not with that face, I don't," Alex shot back, wiping at her eyes. "No, I don't want you to go. I didn't even want Mia to go, but she said it was either she go or she'll tell Ron and he'll go."

"You don't want Ron to go?"

She shook her head exaggeratedly. "Hell no! My baby is about the size of a pea or something. According to the baby books, you can see its freakin' heartbeat. I don't need him there to comment on what it looks like. I love him to death, but he's a little more than I can handle sometimes."

"So exactly how far along are you?"

"First trimester, seventh week, five weeks after conception," Alex rattled off. She'd been lying when she told Ronnie she didn't know how far along she was. For some reason, she hadn't wanted to get into it with him, knowing he'd be upset that she was pregnant the last time he saw her and still went off-roading with him.

Leon whistled. "Want to be more exact?" he teased. "How many hours? Minutes?"

"Fuck off," she muttered with a roll of her eyes. "Why do you even care?"

"Adri wanted to know. She's a nurse or a midwife or something."

"Your sister?"

He nodded slowly. He had yet to discuss his sister with Michaela, but he felt like telling Alex would help get her mind off of other things. "I told her all about everyone. She's coming to visit soon. She wants to make sure Jesse is being taken care of properly."

"That's exciting!" Alex commented with a wide smile. "Is she bringing the kids?"

"Yeah. It's the twins' summer vacation so they don't have to worry about school."

"How old are they?"

He shrugged a shoulder in response. "Leah and Hope are twelve. Almost thirteen. Mattias is just turning three. Is it bad I'm worried about Mickey's reaction?"

"To the kids?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised. At his nod, she sighed. "You're worried she'll see you with them and want one too?"

"I swear you can read my mind sometimes," he mumbled with a shake of his head. He had yet to discuss kids with Michaela. He had a feeling it was going to be an issue since she wanted them and he…well, he didn't. "I know I have to deal with it sooner or later…I just thought I could wait 'til you popped your little demon child out."

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "Okay first, I'm not having a demon child. Second, they don't just pop out; it's not that easy. Third, you have to be honest with her. Lying about what you want isn't going to do anything but make you miserable."

If he heard her, he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he changed the subject, an act Alex took to mean he didn't want to talk about that subject anymore. "My nieces have heard of you," he said with an amused smile. "Hope is in love with Eddie."

"That poor misguided child," she mumbled in response, shaking her head. She never understood the fans who obsessed over Eddie rather than Ronnie. It was true their publicist always made it seem like Ronnie was the "bad boy" what with his tattoos and muscles while Eddie was marketed as the heartthrob, but Alex always felt you could tell that both images were fake. Ronnie couldn't be the "bad boy" if he tried. "I bet you'll be the coolest Uncle when she sees Ronnie here."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. The other one, Leah, was actually more excited to meet you and Mickey. She's a dancer too. I told her about the dance studio and she flipped."

Alex smiled proudly. "Cool."

He could tell he hadn't distracted her very much. Leaning over, he pecked her temple. "He's going to be fine, baby girl. This isn't his first time."

She groaned, letting her head fall into her hands. "Don't remind me." She let out a long sigh before sitting back up. "You really think he'll be okay?"

"I promise you he will be," he answered with a nod.

She studied him for a brief moment, checking to see if he was lying. She found he wasn't. She sighed again, her eyes reluctant to accept his promise. After a moment, she shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so."

* * *

So did you like it? Would you rather have had Vince let her see him? Did his choice not to make sense?

Let me know what you think! Any critiques, suggestions, etc. are appreciated! :)

~Love Ink


	48. Reunion

A MILLION thanks to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(You asked and here it is! More Lee and more Mickey)**, Violet201, Trickster707, xXBXx**, **D27427, VincesDirtyGirl **(aww shucks, I inspired you? That makes me happy! :]), and** Rue Dawn**! I'm so appreciative that you all take time to review! You rock my socks! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 48: Reunion_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela was enjoying being home alone. Mia had gone to open the shop, Leon had gone to the garage to finish off the jobs that were still sitting there from before the heists, and Alex had gone to teach her classes, determined to do so until she was too big to. Mickey had 80s music blasting through the fancy speakers and was singing along as she cleaned the house, picking up after Leon and Alex. For such a little person, Alex sure left a big mess in her wake. She was just picking up another pair of Alex's colorful Converses when the doorbell rang. She lowered her music to make sure she heard it right. It rang again and she shut off the music.

Raising an eyebrow, she made her way over. She didn't bother checking the peephole, something her brother would've been upset about, and just opened the door. In front of her was a woman with brilliant green eyes flanked by three children. Her first guess was that it was one of Alex's sisters, but there was something in her jawline that reminded Michaela of Leon. "Um hi," Michaela greeted, awkwardly. "How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Adrienne. Leo's sister," the woman explained, picking up the smallest child in her arms. It was a little boy with the same green eyes as his mother.

It took a minute for the sentence to sink in. "Oh! Oh my gosh! Hi, I'm Michaela," Michaela exclaimed, smiling brightly. She stepped back into the house, gesturing them in. "Come in! Come in! It's hot outside!"

"Thanks," Adrienne said stepping into the house and bidding the twin girls behind her to follow. She set Mattias down, her hand brushing over his head as he clung to her leg. "I'm so sorry to just drop in, but Leo didn't leave a house phone number and he forgot to give me his cell number. He just said to come by whenever."

Michaela waved away her apologies. "Don't worry about it! Any family is welcome," she said trying to sound as though she'd been expecting them when she really hadn't been. Leon had told her he talked to his sister, but he never mentioned that she was coming over. "Now who are these lovely kids?"

"I'm Leah," the taller of the twins announced, a wide smile on her freckled face. She was wearing a pair of torn jeans and a simple black tank top. Her russet hair was pulled back from her face in a loose ponytail.

The girl standing next to her was wearing a concert tee from Ronnie's band's last tour with a pair of skinny jeans and cute pink flip flops. Her dark red hair that hung down around her shoulders was being held out of her face by a sparkly pink headband. "I'm Hope," she chirped with a smile. She grabbed her little brother's hand chubby hand. "This is Mattias. He's three."

The little boy looked up at Michaela with wide green eyes. His brown hair was cut into a Mohawk, a look that was comical on such a little being. Michaela squatted down so she was even with the little boy. "Hi, I'm Mickey."

Mattias looked up at his mother. "Like Mickey Mouse?"

"Exactly," Michaela said with a nod. She ruffled his hair before standing up. "I hear you girls like to dance."

"Only Leah," Hope corrected quickly. "I'm more into horseback riding."

Leah rolled her eyes at her sister. "You're Uncle Leo's girlfriend, right? He said you danced in Vegas. I looked you up and got in trouble with my dad. He said you don't do the same style as me."

Adrienne scowled at her daughter. "Leah!" she chastised before turning to Michaela, "I'm so sorry. She's got no censor."

"That's okay!" Michaela said with a laugh. The girl was ballsy. She reminded her of herself at that age. "I don't dance like that anymore. I have a studio now and I teach ballet."

"Cool. I do ballet, tap, and hip-hop," Leah said with a bob of her head that was so like Leon it was scary. "Where's Uncle Leo?"

"He's at the garage right now. We can go surprise him if you'd like," she suggested with a devilish grin.

Adrienne looked intrigued at first, a hint of mischief shining in her eyes. "I don't want to bother him…"

Michaela rolled her eyes. "Oh please, he wants to be bothered. He gets bored there all by himself."

"Please Mama!" Leah and Hope begged at the same time.

* * *

Leon was tuning Ronnie out. The other man was going on and on about the financial books. Leon swore he hadn't stopped to breathe once. Though Alex had assured him Ronnie was perfectly capable of handling the financial stuff, Leon was starting to regret agreeing to let him do it. Especially since he insisted on giving him a play by play. He swore Ronnie had the biggest mouth of anyone he knew. Boy, could the guy talk. He just went on and on and on…

"Did you hear anything I was saying?" Ronnie asked, taking his eyes off the ledger to look up at Leon.

"No," Leon replied honestly without looking up from the engine. "You've been talking for like an hour. I told you, I don't care."

"C'mon Lee. This is serious. The garage is in the shit hole."

"I know. Why do you think we were doing…what we were doing?" Leon questioned, still paying more attention to the engine than to Ron. He knew Alex had told him everything about the heists so there was no need to explain anything more.

Ronnie snorted, his head shaking from side to side. "Whoever was the genius behind that idea was an idiot."

"That doesn't even make sense," Leon grumbled as he tightened a bolt with a grunt.

The loud sound of a bass along with some screaming made Leon look up from the engine and towards the parking lot. When he saw the dark silver Celica pull in, he smiled. He spotted Michaela in the driver's seat, another brunette at her side. They were laughing with each other.

Then he heard the high pitched screaming and saw the two girls as they sprinted towards him. "_Tio_ Leo!" they screamed together. (Uncle)

He put down his tool and stepped around the car, extending his arms to catch them in a big hug. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed, squeezing them tightly before pulling away. They'd grown up a lot since the last time he'd seen them, three years before. He gently touched each of their soft cheeks, seeing a bit of his deceased sister in each one. He felt his eyes get misty and swallowed hard to control himself. "You girls grew up on me," he breathed, kissing each one's cheek in turn. "I'm going to have to beat the boys off with sticks."

Leah giggled as she bounced up onto the balls of her feet and started chattering excitedly at Leon while Hope's eyes fell on Ronnie who was leaning casually against a car. "Nice shirt," he commented, nodding to his own face on her tank top. Hope just stared at him, slack-jawed. He pushed himself off the car and took a few steps closer to her. "Hi. I'm Ronnie," he greeted, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"I know," Hope sputtered, her green eyes as big as saucers. She didn't move, just stood there. "I…I…"

"She's Hope," Michaela put in, smiling at the girl. She had Mattias perched on her hip; the small boy had already fallen in love with her, just like his uncle.

"No handshake, Hope?" Ronnie teased a small grin on his face. He loved the doe-eyed expressions the younger fans got when they met him. He remembered his own excitement the one time he got to meet his own idol, Paul McCartney. He stood staring in the corner for about twenty minutes before working up the nerve to go talk to him. Even then, he just tripped over his own tongue while trying to compliment Paul's amazing song writing skills. Alex had teased him then, saying it was the only time she'd ever seen him speechless.

He shrugged a shoulder before he beamed at her. "How 'bout a hug?" With that, he swept forward and hugged the girl, lifting her off her feet before setting her down.

Leon pushed Leah toward Ronnie so she could meet him too before he looked up, his eyes landing on his older sister for the first time in several years. She looked good for being in her late thirties. Her wavy, dark red-brown hair was streaked with highlights and hung down straight past her shoulders, her bangs braided out of her face. She was wearing what he could only describe as "mom" clothes; a white blouse and khaki cargo shorts. A pair of short leather sandals were strapped to her feet, making her just a little taller than Michaela. "Hey Mama Bear," he greeted, nodding to her.

She rushed to him, throwing her arms around him in a big hug. "Leo," she choked out, squeezing him tighter "I missed you so much."

He felt tears fall from his eyes before he could stop them. Since he'd left, he hadn't thought about his big sister or his nieces or nephew. He'd lived happily as though they'd never existed. As though the life he had left behind in Arizona had never happened. Now that he had his sister in his arms, he regretted that. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his family. How much he genuinely cared about them. "I missed you too," he said pulling away slightly. He smiled when her small hands reached up and brushed away his tears, a motherly move she'd done often when he was growing up.

"God, look at you," she breathed, a proud smile on her face as she wiped away her own tears. "You're so handsome! What happened to my little scrawny brother?"

Michaela laughed loudly at this one, trying to picture him even a little bit scrawny. "Adri, please tell me you have pictures."

"I do, actually," Adrienne confirmed with a nod giving Leon a mischievous grin. He narrowed his eyes at them, wondering how they'd become so chummy in only a few hours. No doubt they bonded over him. He wondered just which stories they'd shared with each other. "I made sure to put a few in my suitcase. He was a precious baby. He looked just like Mati."

Leon's eyes fell on the little boy who currently had his head resting in the crook of Michaela's neck, his thumb in his mouth. He took a few steps toward him, putting his face level with the little boy. "Hey, little man," he said, brushing his hand over Mattias' Mohawk. "You remember me?"

Even though Leon was almost positive the boy didn't, Mattias nodded and stretched out his arms toward him. Leon took him from Michaela, hugging him close against his check. "_Tio_ Leo," Mattias said before pointing to the car. "Car?"

Adrienne smiled as Leon took him over to the car and started explaining things to him. "My husband is a mechanic too," she explained to Michaela. "Leon got his start in his shop."

Michaela barely heard her. She was too entranced watching Leon with little Mattias. He was the picture of happiness; easily balancing the little boy on his hip while he pointed out different things to him in the engine. She could picture him doing this with their own children. Perhaps a blue eyed child instead of green eyed one. Maybe twins. She'd love that.

The girl's screaming pulled her out of her fantasy. She glanced toward where Ronnie had a girl on each arm and was lifting them off the floor using his arms. All of the awkwardness of the first meeting was gone. Hope and Leah were both talking his ear off as he swung them around. "You're not the pregnant one, right?" asked Adrienne.

She shook her in head in response. "That's my sister-in-law, Alex."

Adrienne studied the younger girl. She had seen her wince at the mention of pregnancy. "You had a scare though?"

Michaela shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as she scratched at her elbow. "Miscarriage."

"I'm sorry," she said softly, setting a hand on Michaela's shoulder. "Was it Leon's?"

"Mm-hmm," she said on a nod. "He wasn't too upset about it. Not as upset as I was, at least."

Adrienne grimaced at this. Her brother had never been good at showing his emotions. He took everything and bottled it up. Usually, Essie would be the one to get everything out of him, make him let go of some of it, but now that she wasn't around, Adri could only imagine the kind of shit he was holding onto. "He was probably more upset than he let on. The fool internalizes everything. Essie was the only one who could get him talking."

Michaela nodded, her eyes still focused on Leon and Mattias. "He talks to my sister-in-law, Lex."

"Why's that?"

"Don't know," she answered on a shrug. She had to admit, their relationship bothered her. Though she would never say it aloud, she resented Alex for it. The girl not only got all of Vince's attention, but she also got to hear Leon's innermost thoughts; stuff he'd never shared with her. "They've got this weird brother-sister thing going. You'll see."

When Leon caught her staring at him with that look in his eyes, a jolt of panic rushed through him. He quickly set Mattias down, getting him a crate to stand on instead. Clenching his jaw, he prayed the conversation wouldn't be brought up that night. He couldn't handle it. He needed more time to think.

"I'm hungry," Ronnie announced loudly. "You girls hungry?"

Both girls nodded emphatically. "Yeah!"

"I know of a place with some good sandwiches," he said, rubbing at his stomach. "Free too."

Michaela grinned. "Oh Mi's gonna flip when she sees the kids. She loves miniature people," she explained, already excited to see Mia's reaction. Adrienne, Ronnie, and the kids headed off to the different cars; the girls opting to go with Ronnie instead of Michaela. Leon didn't move. He was still staring at the engine, his gaze unfocused; he was clearly thinking of something else.

Curious, Michaela headed over to him. He jumped when she set a hand on his back. "You comin', Lee?" she asked, her eyes holding concern.

He shook himself from his thoughts and looked at her. Really looked at her. She was beautiful. Her bright blue eyes seemed to see straight through him, something that always made him uneasy. Her dark hair was a mess, as it always was hanging all the way down her back in a tangle of waves and straighter strands. He knew the waves were a result of her constant indecisiveness. She'd put her hair up for five minutes and then take it out, wrap it in a bun, plait it into a thick braid, and then take it out.

But that was Michaela. She went with her impulses. If she wanted to do something, she did it. She'd once told him it was easier to apologize for something than ask for permission and from the way Vince talked about her younger years, he believed she stayed true to that motto. That was the side of her that scared him. What if she decided she didn't want him anymore? She'd leave him without thinking twice about it. It wasn't as if she hadn't done it before.

"Yeah, Princess," he answered after a minutes, leaning over and kissing her lips. "I'll meet you there."

Confusion registered in her eyes as she gently rubbed at a spot of grease on his cheek with her thumb. "You okay?"

He nodded, giving her a half-hearted grin. "It's good to see them," he said by way of explanation.

She smiled then and he felt his heart flip-flop as it usually did when she smiled at him. "They're an attractive bunch. I can see where you get your good looks from," she stated as she skipped away from him. "Can't wait to see your awkward growing up pictures though!" she sang on her way out the door.

Leon groaned, shaking his head as he closed the hood of the car. "I'm going to kill her," he swore glaring at his older sister who just wave at him from her seat in the car, a sneaky grin on her face as though she knew exactly what he was saying.

* * *

Not sure if I like this chapter or not...do you like it? Let me know in a review! :)

**Disclaimer pt 2:** I don't own Paul McCartney (of Beatles fame, just in case you didn't know ;) ). But I love him and adore his music. "Hey Jude" is my all time favorite song. ;)

~Love Ink


	49. Just a Little

A MILLION thanks to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(I'm glad I made your day better!:])**, Magenta Stone, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Rue Dawn, **and** VincesDirtyGirl**!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, Ronnie, Adri, Mattias, and the lovely twins

Gah! Sorry this is a filler! I just needed to establish some relationship stuff with the different characters before delving into juicy stuff! ;) Next chapter coming really really soon, I promise!

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 49: Just a Little_

**By: LoveInk**

On the way home from lunch, Leon took a detour to the dance studio. He headed up the front steps, a paper bag Mia had sent with him in his hand. He had a feeling Alex hadn't eaten since breakfast and was probably starving. The dance studio was empty as it usually was in the late afternoon. All Alex and Michaela's dance classes ended around three during the summer and then the space was rented out to other teachers for adult classes.

He heard the soft, Spanish music coming from the office and followed the sound to the small room in the back. She was sitting behind the computer, her fingers tapping away at the keyboard in front of her. "Hey you," she greeted, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.

"Hi," he said as he sat down in one of the leather chairs on the other side of the desk. He threw the paper bag onto the desk. "Mia sent food."

Alex stopped typing and carefully opened the paper bag. She smiled when she saw the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "I love that girl," she said on a happy sigh. She took a bite of the sandwich and looked at Leon expectantly. She knew he had something to say. He wouldn't have sat down if he didn't.

"So I'm fucked," he said clapping his hands together in front of him.

"Woah there, tiger," she commented, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. "That's quite a statement."

"She saw me with Mattias and she had that look in her eyes, Shorty," he stated, running his hands through his hair nervously.

She perked up slightly, bouncing in her chair. "Your family's here?" she asked excitedly.

"That's not the point," he said giving her a dark look.

Alex groaned, rolling her eyes at him. "You're so paranoid, Lee," she stated. "Until she's on top of you begging you to make a baby, don't stress about it."

His face went blank with shock and surprise. "Wow. You just said that."

"My point is. You're stressin' about it too much. It's going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, bro. The more you say it, the more likely it's going to happen."

"Mmm," he said in response, chewing hard on the toothpick in his mouth as he thought. "Am I an asshole for not talking to my family for three years? I mean, my nieces should hate me, right? They shouldn't want anything to do with me. My sister too."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Family is family, Lee. The love is unconditional. You were going through something and you needed to be away, so you left. Now you grew up and smartened up and you chose to go back."

"Am I an asshole for not wanting kids?"

Alex didn't know what to say to that. "You're not an asshole. You're just…selfish. And that's fine! You're in your early twenties, Lee. You can be selfish for a few more years. And Michaela's still young too! You shouldn't even be thinking about these things. You should be having fun!"

"You're the same age, Lex," he reminded her as he dug through his pockets for a toothpick.

"I'm at a different place than you," she stated softly. "I have Vince. We're getting married. This baby thing happened by accident. We weren't trying for it. Of course, now that I'm pregnant, I want it; but if it wasn't by accident, V and I were going to wait a few years before having kids. You know, have some fun first?"

Leon chewed on his toothpick pensively, moving it from side to side as he considered Alex's words. "Yeah."

She wondered for a brief moment if she got through to him, and then realized it didn't matter much. This whole thing was out of her hands. The best thing she could do was give Leon advice. Whether he took it or not, was his decision. "If your sister's at home…why are you here?"

"I came to talk to you," he said looking at her like she was an idiot.

"Why? I'm going home in like," she glanced up at the clock, "two minutes."

He shrugged a shoulder. "There's no privacy there."

"You're so weird," she said rolling her eyes at him. She shut down the computer and started packing her things. "What was it like seeing them again?"

Leon let out a long sigh and shrugged a shoulder. "It was weird. Sort of sad. I see a lot of Essie in Adri and the girls. And Adri brought old pictures so I'm dreading that."

"She did not," Alex exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

He nodded slowly. "Don't start. Mickey's already freaking out about it. Mia too. I'll never hear the end of it. I don't know why she'd do that to me."

"Because you left for a few years and payback's a bitch?"

"Oh. Right."

Alex finished updating the registration file she was working on before shutting down the computer. She put what was left of her sandwich back in the bag before standing up. "Ready?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "No."

She shouldered her dance bag and beamed up at him. "Too bad. We're going."

"Gimme that," he said, taking the heavy bag off her shoulders and putting it on his own. He headed toward the door, Alex following him, flicking off lights as she went. "Ronnie's a pain in the ass, by the way."

"I could've told you that," she mumbled under her breath while she locked the door.

He gave her a questioning glance. "Why did you have him come work with me then?"

She gave him a sheepish grin. "Because I sure as hell don't want him anywhere near me when I'm working," she said walking quickly down the steps to get away from Leon. "Pluse, he's a terrible dancer. The worst on the tour. Fish and I had to spend extra hours with him until he got the dance down right."

"So you made _me _work with him? That's just mean," he said, shaking his head at her, a scowl on his face.

"To be honest, Ron will do the business some good. He's got a good head for numbers and stuff," she said on a shrug. "You'll get used to him."

Leon threw her bag into the back of the Jeep and watched her get up into the driver's side. "How's the Grem? Didn't you have your doctor's appointment today?"

"Mmm-hmm," she said on a nod. Her hand unconsciously went to rub at her mostly flat stomach. "Grem's fine. We saw the heartbeat. Mia started crying and then I started crying, it was a big mess. I think next time I'll take Ron. At least he'll make me laugh."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Pain in the ass," he mumbled under his breath. He tapped his hand against the window. "I'm gonna head back to the garage. I'll see you later."

"You're avoiding going home because of this picture thing, aren't you?" she shouted at his back.

"Like the plague," he shouted over his shoulder, waving goodbye to her as she pulled out of her parking space.

* * *

Leon walked into Alex's place, slightly surprised at the scene in front of him. Alex was in a deep conversation with Hope while Mia braided Leah's hair as she talked to Adri. Michaela and Ronnie were in the backyard, Ronnie manning the grill while Michaela held Mattias perched on her hip. Mattias was looking between her and Ronnie with adoring eyes, the fingers of his hand in his mouth, his head on Michaela's shoulder.

He walked up to Alex first, pressing a kiss to Hope's temple as he greeted them. Hope looked up at him with her beautiful green eyes. "_Tio_ Leo, did you know that Alex dated Eddie Romero for like five years? She was sorta famous!"

Leon chuckled and shook his head. "She tell you she's going to marry some other guy?"

"Yah-huh," Hope said on a nod. "She said he's like a bajillion time hotter than Eddie. I haven't seen a picture yet so I can't judge but I doubt it. Hey, _Tia_, what's it like to kiss Eddie?"

He marveled at the comfort level between them. Hope was already calling Alex, Aunt as though she was actually his sister. Shaking his head at them, he moved toward Mia and Adri. "How you girls doing?"

"We're having girl talk, _Tio_," Leah stated easily. "Sorry."

Leon gave her a quizzical look before moving outside, where he hoped he was more wanted. Michaela's eyes brightened the minute she saw him. "Hey baby," she greeted, a wide smile on her face.

He leant over and kissed her lips briefly. "Hi," he replied before rubbing a hand over Mattias' Mohawk. "How's my favorite nephew?"

Mattias looked up at him with happy green eyes before reaching his arms out to him. "Tio Leo," he said begging for him to grab him. Leon obliged, holding the small toddler in his arms. "You work on cars today?"

"Yeah, buddy, lots of 'em," he answered with a wide grin. Balancing Mattias on one hip, he dug around in his pocket for the small metal car he'd found in Jesse's office. Ever the proud godfather, Jesse had a drawer full of toys he'd bought to send to Mattias. Sometimes he remembered to actually mail them, but most of the time he was distracted by something else so the toys lay forgotten in his junk drawer. "That's from your _Padrino_." (Godfather)

"Oooh. Tanks," Mattias cooed, squirming to get down playing with his new toy. He toddled off toward the table so he could roll the car around.

"We went to see him today," Michaela said, studying Leon's face as she said it. Leon didn't respond, he was too focused on watching Mattias, but she knew he was listening. "He's responding to pain and stuff, but…he just doesn't want to wake up."

He nodded and shrugged a shoulder. "He'll come around. Jess is just being lazy."

"You didn't tell me your family was comin', Lee," she brought up quietly.

His eyes left Mattias and looked at her in surprise. "I didn't?"

"No. Alex knew though."

"Mmm," he grunted, not understanding what she was getting at.

Michaela sighed. "Why do you tell her more than you tell me?"

"She was upset. I was trying to distract her," he explained vaguely. "I was going to tell you, Princess. I just forgot. There was too much shit goin' on."

"Okay," she said, dropping the subject entirely. "Mattias is adorable. Just like his uncle."

Leon lifted up his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Sounds like I have some competition."

Michaela leant her head against his shoulder. "Just a little."

"Yeah, between me and Mattias, you better start playing your A-game," Ronnie teased as he flipped a burger.

"Oh please, Ron, I'm so out of your league it isn't funny," she stated rolling her eyes at him. She liked Ronnie, but she would never even consider dating him. He was too much of a goof ball.

He grabbed at his heart in mock pain. "Ouch, that hurts. Leah, you'd give me a shot, right sweetheart?"

Leah, who had only gone outside to tell her Uncle something wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No."

"That's my girl," Leon said proudly. He wrapped his other arm around Leah and kissed her temple. "Stay away from my girls, Ron," he said, his tone light but his eyes serious.

Ronnie rolled his eyes at him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't want 'em anyway. They're too pretty. _I_ need to be the pretty one in the relationship," he joked.

"No wonder you haven't found a girl yet," Michaela teased. "It must be hard to find a girl so ugly she makes _you_ look good."

* * *

Some fun and some serious stuff too. You like? Let me know! :)

I apologize for the long lag in posts! I've been crazy busy with graduation stuff! Gah!

~LoveInk


	50. Dead Man Walking

A MILLION thanks to: **Rue Dawn **(Don't apologize! I appreciate all reviews regardless of length! :])** Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto **(I'm sorry about your dog :( I'm glad it made you happy!)**, Violet201, Magenta Stone **(Thanks for the luck! I'm gonna need it! Hehe)**, **and **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, Ronnie, Adri, Mattias, and the lovely twins

The title comes from another song by **the Script** which I also don't own. Well, I have the song, but I don't own the rights to it. ;)

This chapter was very difficult to write…just sayin'. :\

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 50: Dead Man Walking_

**By: LoveInk**

A week later…

Michaela smiled when she saw Leon sitting on the floor with little Mattias between his legs. The girls all went shopping earlier that day before Ronnie surprised the twins with tickets to the newest musical in LA. When Adri and Alex had admitted they wanted to see it too, the five of them decided to go leaving Mickey and Leon home to babysit Mattias.

The small boy was wheeling cars up and down Leon's jean clad legs, talking to him excitedly about each one. Leon was paying close attention to his nephew, teaching him different car names as they played.

She cleared her throat to catch their attention. "Bedtime, cutie," she said when Mattias' green eyes looked up at her.

The little boy dutifully got up and toddled towards her. She swept him up in her arms, kissing his chubby cheek. "I go pjs?" he asked as they headed to the bedroom.

"Yeah pumpkin," she said, helping him into his tiny boxers and sleep tank. She tucked him into their bed, ruffling his hair as she did so. Mattias and his family were staying at Ronnie's house a few blocks down since Ronnie had taken to sleeping next to Alex and wasn't in need of such a huge house. But until his Mom got back, Mia's bed would have to do. "Good night, Matti," she murmured kissing his cheek.

He wrapped his little arms around her neck and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Night _Tia_ Mickey," he murmured. "I yove you."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Goodnight," she said brushing her hand over his Mowhawked hair one more time before leaving him to sleep.

She smiled before heading back to the living room where Leon was sitting on the couch watching basketball highlights. She sat down next to him, cuddling into his side. "He asleep?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Out like a light," she said with a happy sigh. "He said he loved me."

"You seem to have that affect on Donati men," Leon commented with a chuckle.

"Hey Lee?"

"Mm?" he asked, not quite paying attention to her.

"Do you want kids?"

She watched as he clenched his jaw, his whole body tensing. He knew that this was one of those make it or break it conversations. If he admitted he didn't want kids, she might leave him. "I don't know."

Michaela sat up slightly. "Yes you do. Do you want kids or not?"

He ran a hand over his face and shrugged a shoulder. "Not particularly," he muttered honestly.

"Why not?"

"I just…don't. I wouldn't make a good father," he lied. He knew fatherhood was something he could handle, but it just wasn't something he wanted.

Michaela frowned and shook her head. "Lee, you'd be an awesome dad. Look how you are with Matti and the twins! They love you!"

"Being an Uncle is one thing. I don't have to discipline them or yell at them. I just get to relax. Do whatever. Being a parent is difficult. It's not all fun and games."

She smiled at him, her hand gently scratching at the hair at the base of his neck. "I still think you'd be great at it."

"Hmm," he said, his eyes back on the television.

Michaela knew that was it then. Knew that if she pushed anymore he'd get angry or frustrated with her. It didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like she was pregnant. It did hurt a little, she had to admit. She wanted kids, wanted them badly, and she wanted to have them with Leon.

She hadn't realized how much it had hurt until she was alone in her room and the tears came. What if ten years from now they were still stuck in the same rut? Not married, no kids, just stuck. She didn't want that. She wanted what her brother and Alex had. They were so happy about everything. There was no question about their love for each other or where they were going.

She heard Leon's footsteps down the hall and wiped at her eyes feeling stupid for crying about it. He had never said anything about not wanting to marry her; in fact, he avoided that topic all together. She was being silly. Before he entered, she lay down and pretended she was asleep. He slid in next to her, wrapping his arm around her torso as he cuddled up behind her.

He placed a kiss to her shoulder, his goatee gently scratching against the soft skin there. She felt another tear slip down her face when he whispered, "I love you."

The next day at dinner was when the shit hit the fan. Everything had been fine earlier that day. Alex and Mia went to work while the remaining group went to Disneyland for the day since Ron and Alex both had season passes. They all came home happy and exhausted. The three pizzas Adri ordered were currently being devoured by everyone except Mattias who was passed out on the couch.

There were a lot of conversations going on at the table but they all stopped short when Leah said, "Tio Leo, I like Mickey. Are you going to marry her so she can be my real aunt?"

"Yeah!" Hope agreed. "That'd be awesome!"

Adri mentally smacked herself in the head. She loved both her daughters very much, but they both had a tendency of sticking their feet in their mouths at the wrong time. She looked at Alex who was sitting very still, her eyes wide. Mia had gone pale. Michaela's clear blue eyes were zeroed in on Leon's face, patiently expecting an answer.

Leon's mouth hung open for a moment. "Uh…um…I'm not…I don't…" he stuttered, trying to find a good answer.

Michaela squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head in disappointment. She quietly excused herself, pushing back from the table and walking as quickly as she could to her bedroom. Leon was up in seconds, chasing after her. "Princess wait!" he said, catching her wrist.

"Let go of me, Leon," she said through clenched teeth as she walked into their room. Leon shut the door behind him. Michaela's eyes were shiny with tears when she looked back at him. "You don't want to marry me?"

"Michaela, let me explain."

She shook her head, knowing he was just going to make up some lame excuse. "No, Leon. Answer me right now. Do you want to get married or not? Because I do. I want a family. I want what my brother and Lex have. I don't want to be stuck in neutral for the rest of my life."

"I don't know what I want, Michaela."

She felt as though she'd been stabbed straight through the chest. She breathed in sharply as tears slipped down her face. "That's great," she said, her arms held out at her sides. "Now what?"

"Michaela, I just…I need time."

"Time? For what?" she asked, wiping at her eyes. "Time to decide if you want to be with me for the rest of your life? Time to decide if you _love_ me?"

Leon ran a hand through his hair. "That's not what I meant," he said, his tone low. "I know I love you."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes at him. "So what is your problem?"

"I don't know!" he shouted at her, suddenly frustrated. "I don't know what I want! Right now I don't want to be married, I don't want kids, I just want to have fun!"

"_Fun_?" Michaela replied her eyes widened in shock. "Leon, you want to have _fun_? Are you serious?"

He shrugged his shoulders. In his head, he had a million better explanations but not a single one made it to his mouth. Instead he murmured, "You don't get it."

She shook her head, completely furious with his response. Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her eyes at him, fixing him with an icy glare. "You're right. I don't get it," she spat, venom dripping from each word. "If you want to have fun, you know what you _don't_ need?"

"What?"

"A girlfriend," she shot back, her voice deathly serious. She turned and started throwing whatever she could into the bag she'd originally taken over to Alex's place. "I'm done. Let me know when you find out what you want, Leon, because what we have isn't working for me."

Leon went to grab the bag from her but she held fast. "Michaela, stop."

She shook her head, fresh tears in her eyes. She was so angry and frustrated with him, all she wanted to do was hit him and then cry her eyes out. "Lee, I love you. I really do, but I can't be in this in between place. It's one way or another. You don't have to marry me today or tomorrow but I just want you to say that it's in the future…that we're headed for something."

"Michaela, I can't…I can't guarantee you that. I don't know what the future will bring. Neither do you."

"Good observation, dumbass," she retorted, fighting the urge to beat the crap out of him. "I may not be able to _see_ the future, but I _know_ what I'd _like_ to see happen in the future and you seem to…not."

He held out his arms to the side. "What do you want me to say, Michaela?"

"I don't know," she said, frustrated beyond belief.

"You want me to lie to you? I can lie to you," he said, his tone borderline angry. "I want to get married and have 2.5 kids and live in a perfect house with a fucking white picket fence. There. You happy?"

Michaela gritted her teeth together. "Fuck you, Leon."

"Oh yeah, fuck me," he shot back at her sarcastically. "Sorry, I'm the only person who won't give you what you want, Princess."

She slapped him then. One good hard slap. She usually loved when he called her Princess, but the way he said it this time gave it a significantly different meaning. "You're an asshole, Leon," she seethed. She grabbed her car keys off the dresser. "I'm over this. You can have all the _fun_ you want, but I want no part of it."

With that, she left, slamming the door shut behind her. Leon stared at the bare white door, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. There were so many different emotions battling inside of him. He grabbed the closest thing he could and with a growl, launched it at the door.

* * *

Adrienne took the girls back to Ronnie's house immediately after Leon and Michaela had stormed off, saving the girls from hearing the argument, but Mia and Alex heard it all. Their eyes followed Michaela as she stormed out the door, slamming it behind her so that the picture frames hanging on the wall rattled.

Mia stood up first and headed toward the front door. "I got Mickey."

Alex nodded watching Mia leave. She waited for a few minutes until she heard a crash. Wincing, she stood and headed back into the room. She was instantly hit with the smell of Michaela's perfume. Her eyes fell on the wet spot on the wall before she spotted the shards of glass beneath it. Leon was pacing the floor in front of it, muttering to himself under his breath. She rapped her knuckles against the doorjamb to catch his attention.

"What?" he growled at her, his green eyes dark with anger. She lifted her eyebrows in surprise, but didn't comment on his outburst. When he saw it was her, he relaxed a little. "You hear?"

She nodded, leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest. "You knew it was going to happen sooner or later, Lee."

"I fuckin' know," he muttered, starting his pacing again. "Fuck! She's just…infuriating! Why can't she understand that I don't know what the fuck I want! She's only 21! Why the hell is she thinking about getting fuckin' married and having kids?"

"It's me and Vince's fault," Alex answered honestly. "She'd never admit it but, she looks up to Vince. She wants what we have because she sees how happy it makes him. Never mind that there's a bit of an age difference. She wants what we have and she wants it now. She's not the most patient person on the planet. We both know that."

He glared at her. "Well fuck you then."

"Hey! That's not fair!"

Leon clenched his jaw before exhaling. "I know, sorry," he muttered. "God, why does she have to be so fucking stubborn?"

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's a Catella thing. Her brother's even worse. You know that. Being stubborn is part of who they are."

"Yeah, well, it's my least favorite part," he grumbled.

* * *

All Jesse could see was bright light. He felt nothing. Everything was white, like the room in the Matrix. Holding his hand up to his face he saw it was clean, there was no dirt under his fingernails or grease stains on his hand. It looked strange to him, he'd hadn't had clean fingernails in a long time. A laugh distracted him from his study. He knew that laugh. He spun around looking for its owner.

She was leaning against the white wall, her tattooed arms crossed over her chest and that cocky smirk on her face. Pushing off the wall, she made her way towards him, her thick biker boots clunking with every step. "Hey Blondie," she greeted, waggling her fingers at him. She was wearing her fingerless, leather biker gloves.

His breath caught in his throat. "Essie," he managed to say. He stood frozen in place, blinking to see if she would disappear. She didn't.

She was standing in front of him wearing the same clothes she had been wearing the last time he saw her. Jeans with a single rip in the knee. A rip she'd gotten when her jeans got caught on the corner of his toolbox. She was wearing the olive green t-shirt she'd stolen from him and altered, cutting the neck so it slipped off her shoulder revealing her black bra strap.

Her fingers gently touched the planes of his face as though she was making sure he was real too. "God, you look so grown up, Jess," she breathed, her green eyes shiny with tears. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close for a hug.

Jesse held onto her tightly, his hand gently smoothing over her jet black hair. He buried his face into her neck, placing a kiss over her pulse as he always had. He pulled away, moving a stray hair from her face. "You look…the same," he said, in complete awe of her. It had been years since he'd last seen her. Since he'd last been able to touch her. He found himself reaching out for her hand. Her tan skin seemed to glow against his white skin.

Her rough voice brought his eyes back up to her face. Her brow was furrowed in concern, the characteristic wrinkle forming between them. "What are you doing here, kiddo? You're not supposed to be here yet."

He didn't let go of her hand, but his eyes left her face for a brief moment to take in the expanse of white space around them. "Where are we? Is this the Matrix?"

She laughed. "No, it's not the fuckin' Matrix," Esperanza replied, rolling her grass green eyes at him. She used her free hand to brush a hair out of his face. "Don't worry about where we are because you need to go back. They need you."

Jesse didn't understand what she was talking about. Did she want him to leave her? "Go back…Ess, I just got here."

She smiled at his confusion. "I know, Blondie, but it's not your time yet."

"But…"

"Look, Jess," she started, cutting off his thought before he could finish it. "Lee and Mickey are going insane down there. They fuckin' need you."

"Mickey…how do you know her?"

Essie gave him that proud smile he loved so much. "I have my ways," she said vaguely. "Lee fucked up real bad and he needs you to set him straight. Lex is trying her hardest but she doesn't know them like you do. That and she's got a shitload of other things to worry about."

"If I go back…I won't be able to see you again."

"Not for awhile, Jess. But I'll always be there. Watching you all is like watching a fucking soap opera," she joked, rolling her eyes. "I'm fuckin' addicted."

Jesse had to smile at her mouth. He'd forgotten how much she swore. It was something Leon had always gotten on her case about. "We're crazy, huh?"

Esperanza nodded. He watched as her brilliant green eyes filled with tears. She pulled him in for another hug, squeezing him tightly. "Don't do anymore crazy shit, Blondie. I can't handle it," she whispered into his ear. She kissed his cheek as she pulled away. "Go back and sort things out with Lee and Mickey. Tell that Lex girl to be strong and that everything will work out and thank her for keeping my brother sane. Give Adri and the kids my love. Tell Lee to get his head out of his fucking ass and smarten up before he loses Mickey forever. She's perfect for him and he needs to stop being fuckin' selfish and make a damn decision. You can tell him I love his stupid ass too. And that I miss him."

He chuckled, smiling at her ramblings. Same old Essie. Once she started, she couldn't stop. "I'll let them know," he said on a nod.

She sighed and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Jess, but you know that," she said with another smile and a wink. "Now go fix things."

Leaning forward she pressed her soft lips against his. He savored the kiss for a brief second before everything went dark again. Pain starting spreading through his body, slowly radiating from two points; one on his shoulder and one on his side. His eyelids felt heavy, too heavy to open, but he tried anyway. A bright light seeped in and he blinked against it. He took a deep breath and smiled, his lips still tingling from her kiss.

* * *

Changed it a little bit. Someone pointed out how off it was in a review and I realized they were right! It makes more sense to me now, and I hope you all like the change!

~Love Ink


	51. Explanations

**_NOTE_: **I changed the last chapter a bit. I initially had problems with it and couldn't figure out what it was that was bugging me, then an **anonymous** reviewer pointed out that it was a bit out of character and unrealistic and hit the nail right on the head! :) So I changed it a bit. You can either read the changes or if you like the original a lot, don't…I'll probably make more sense if you do! ;)

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! :) I had an amazing day (even if I feel old now...hehe)! :D

A trillion thanks and hugs to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx****, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Violet201, xXBXx, D274, brevan, Rue Dawn** (I've been toying with the idea of writing an Essie fic actually…:]), **Magenta Stone, Bidie, VincesDirtyGirl, Anonymous **(Thank you for pointing out the problem! I sincerely appreciate it!)**, melnie, Reader **(I'll try and write in Letty!), and **demonpixie1 **(Wow! :) Both stories in 24 hrs! Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed them!)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 51: Explanations_

**By: LoveInk**

Leon stared at the ceiling fan, watching the blades go round and round. It was 3 AM and he couldn't sleep. He was too frustrated, too angry. All he wanted to do was scream. Sighing, he got up and went to his car. He dug a hand into the glove compartment, digging around blindly until he found the smashed little box of cigarettes. He'd been a regular smoker once upon a time. It was something to do back when he was younger. He and Jess used to go through multiple packs while working on their cars in his brother-in-law's garage.

When they met Michaela, she tried her hardest to make them quit. Leon had given in, switching over to toothpicks as a replacement. Jesse stuck to his ways, insisting they calmed him down and helped his ADD. Michaela used to say his meds did the same thing, but Jesse insisted cigarettes helped more than his Adderall.

He locked up his car and sat on the front steps, taking his trusty lighter out of his pocket and lighting a cigarette as he did so. Taking one long drag, he felt an instant sort of relief. The nicotine calmed his nerves and made him feel less like punching a wall and more like saying 'fuck it' and moving on. "Lexi will kill you if she sees you doing that," a deep voice said from behind him.

Leon turned his head to find Ronnie leaning against the doorjamb, his thick arms crossed over his chest. He didn't say anything in response to Ron's statement, just blew out smoke before turning his head away to contemplate the houses across the street.

The deck creaked with Ron's weight as he took a seat next to him. "Can I steal one?" At Leon's nod, Ronnie grabbed the pack and took one out, expertly lighting it up and taking a drag. "I quit a while back, but I miss it."

Leon stayed silent. He glanced down at Ronnie's other hand and found it to be holding a bottle of Jack Daniel's Whiskey. He raised an eyebrow in silent question and Ronnie chuckled. "I figured you for a Jack man," he said handing him the bottle.

"Yeah," Leon replied awkwardly. He took a swig of the amber liquid, grimacing as it burned its way down his throat. He handed the bottle back and Ronnie did the same.

They sat there in complete silence, passing the bottle around and smoking. Ronnie seemed to understand his need for silence as well as his need to forget about it. About everything. After taking another swig, he looked over at the other guy. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Ronnie shrugged. "No worries. I've been in your shoes. I know how it goes."

Silence took over again before Leon cleared his throat. "I _do_ love her," he clarified. He knew Ron had heard the whole exchange and had a feeling the other man might be thinking twice about their relationship. "She drives me fuckin' crazy, but I love her."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he confirmed with a bob of his head. "And I can give in to certain things and go with the flow but this…this isn't one of those things."

He nodded in agreement. "Right because if you tell her yes and follow through you might be miserable. If you don't follow through, then you basically lied to her."

"Exactly."

"What the hell?" Alex's voice interrupted from the doorway. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

Leon and Ronnie's eyes widened when they turned to see a very pissed off Alex in the doorway. She was wearing pajamas consisting of Vince's clothes. Her hair was in a messy side ponytail. Her green eyes glowed bright with anger. She snatched the cigarettes out of each of their mouths, throwing them on the ground and stomping them out with her flip-flop before taking the mostly empty bottle of Jack away too.

"I'm pregnant, you morons! Secondhand smoke is not good for the baby!" she exclaimed, glaring at each one in turn.

"Could you smell that from the room? I swear I shut the window. Does pregnancy give you super smelling powers because if so, that's so unfair to guys."

Alex knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to use his sense of humor to distract her from being pissed at them. It wasn't working. "No, I didn't _smell_ it. Leon's _phone_ has been ringing for the past 20 minutes! I can't fuckin' take it anymore."

Leon's eyes widened. "Who is it?"

"I don't know. It's an unknown number, and I was not about to answer your phone and have you get shitty with me," she answered with a shrug. "You're in a bad mood as it is."

He gave her a glare before answering the phone and wandering back into the house leaving Alex Ronnie on the porch. She narrowed her eyes at Ronnie. "Again, Ron? Really? Would you _like_ another collapsed lung?"

"No," he mumbled dejectedly. He stood up and went to hug her.

Alex rolled her eyes, keeping her hands at her sides instead of hugging him back. "Get off me, you reek."

"You love me."

She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I catch you smoking again and I kill you."

"Yes Mama," he said, giving her his trademark smirk.

Leon came running back, heading straight for his car. Alex panicked for a brief moment. "Lee? What happened?"

He gave her a small smile. "Jesse's awake."

* * *

Jesse waited patiently to see who would get there first. He'd asked the nice nurse to call both Michaela and Leon on their cellphones, sensing that they weren't together. He flipped through the channels, slightly bored as he waited. Leon strolled in first, looking cool as a cucumber. "Look who decided to wake up," he drawled as he approached the bed.

"I was tired," Jesse explained with a smirk. He linked hands with Leon and they did an awkward man-hug. When Leon leant in, Jesse caught a big whiff of cigarette smoke and Jack Daniels. "You smell. Why do you smell?"

"Long story, I'll explain later," he muttered as he sat in a chair. Jesse gave him a look that said he'd rather have him explain now. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "Michaela and I had a…fight."

Jesse didn't look convinced. "Just a fight?"

Leon shifted uncomfortably in his chair before clearing his throat. "We broke up, I guess."

"What the hell?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I'll explain more later," he repeated nonchalantly.

Just then Michaela came rushing in. If she saw Leon, she didn't pay him any notice. She ran to Jesse and threw her arms around him. "Jesse," she breathed, hugging him tightly. "I missed you so much."

When she pulled away, Jesse glanced back at the chair Leon had been sitting in. It was empty. He just caught sight of his back as he walked out the door. Michaela followed his stare. "Was that…"

"Leon?" he finished for her. "Yeah. What happened?"

Michaela shrugged a shoulder, trying her best to look indifferent. "He's a fucking idiot. It's over. I do _not _want to talk about it."

"Over for good?"

She shrugged again. "For the foreseeable future, yes."

"Mickey…"

"Don't you dare talk me out of it, Jesse," she cut off quickly. "You just woke up and you have a lot of stuff to catch up on that isn't me and Leon. So that is a subject we're not going to touch no matter how much you want to. You want to talk about it? You call him. I'm done with him. I don't even want to think about it."

Jesse winced, he could hear the anger and frustration in her voice. "You don't think you're overreacting? Maybe a little."

"No. Of course I'm not. I'm right," she replied confidently. "What took you so long to wake up anyways? We've been waiting for weeks, Jess. You missed Vince getting sent off to jail and Lex is pregnant and that asshole's whole family is here with his adorable nephew and nieces."

"Oh Mattias and the girls are here! He finally called them! That's awesome!" Jesse exclaimed with a huge grin. "Fool's been putting that off for years! And Lex and V are having a baby! That's freakin' awesome! Is she big yet?"

Michaela smiled, happy to have moved onto other subjects. "No, not yet. She's driving us crazy with her mood swings though. One minute she's happy, the next she's sobbing on the floor."

"I bet Vince being away doesn't help much with that," Jesse mused, frowning guiltily. "How long is he in for?"

"A year. Do _not_ mention it to Lex. She locks herself into her room and won't let anyone in every time she hears it. He's going to miss a lot of baby stuff and on top of it, he won't let her visit him."

Jesse sighed and shook his head. "What about Dom and the others?"

She looked down at her hands. No, he wouldn't know about them. He wasn't there during the heists nor was her there to see the aftermath. Taking a deep breath, she told him the whole story. "Now Dom and Let are God-knows-where. Brian's gone so Mia is focusing her attention on this baby so that she doesn't have to think about him. And you were in a coma, but now you're here and awake and alive and…God, Jess, I missed you so much."

He gave her a sad smile. "I sleep for a few weeks and everything goes to shit."

Michaela laughed before sniffling. "Yeah, Jess, it's all your fault," she teased, getting up onto the bed and leaning her head on his shoulder. "How dare you get shot and stay in a coma for a few weeks."

Jesse laughed. "Silly me, what was I thinking?"

* * *

Like it? Let me know in a review!

Next chapter will have more Alex/Vince stuff, I promise. :)

~Love Ink


	52. Doubts

A trillion thanks and hugs to: **Violet201, ** **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(I hope your essay went well!)**, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Magenta Stone, Rue Dawn** (Loved the mega review! I think Lee is avoiding a psychological throw down for as long as possible…one is coming though ;]), **Bindie, VincesDirtyGirl, **and **Anonymous** (I'm glad you liked the changes!)

It might take a while for me to update again, so my apologies in advance! I've got my last set of finals this week and I'm graduating from college on Sunday! So the coming days will be a bit crazy! o.O

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 52: Doubts_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex was sitting at the table when Leon got home. He glanced at the clock and sighed. "Shorty, it's 6 in the morning, you should be asleep."

"Ron's hogging up the bed, and he smells like cigarettes," she explained with a shrug. Her small fingers were wrapped around a mug as she sat there looking thoroughly exhausted. "How's Jess?"

"Didn't get to talk to him much. She came in and I just…couldn't stay," he said, taking the mug from her. He tasted what was in it and pulled a face at the sickly sweet lukewarm liquid. "That's not coffee."

She sighed and frowned. "I know. Ron put the coffee on the highest shelf because he heard it was bad for the baby. I can't reach it. This is some weird tea he deemed acceptable. It's not bad once you put half the sugar bowl in it."

He shook his head, heading over to the cabinet and getting down the coffee. "One cup a day is fine," he stated, shaking his head as he started the coffee maker. "You get more than that and you'll have problems."

Alex narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "How do you know that?"

"When Adri was pregnant with the kids, we had to put her on coffee control. Adri drinks like three cups a day normally, so Chuck, Ess, and I had to watch her to make sure she only had one. I can't tell you how many things I've had thrown at my head because I decided to take a cup away from her."

She laughed lightly. "How are you doing, Lee?"

"Me?" he asked, setting a mug down beside her and sliding it closer.

"Mm-hmm," she said taking a long sip of the coffee. "I don't like to see you smoking."

He shrugged a shoulder as he sat down next to her. "I used to smoke all the time. She made me stop. I won't do it around here, I promise. I know that it's not good for you, Preggo."

"It's not good for you, either. Ronnie used to smoke multiple packs a day on tour. He insisted it made his voice raspy or something stupid like that," she said softly. "Two years ago, he went to the hospital with severe chest pains. His lung collapsed. The doctor told him it was too much smoking and he needed to stop before something worse happened. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I'm fine," he insisted trying to give her a smile and failing. "It calms me down, Shorty. I need that right now."

Alex pulled a face but didn't say anything more about the subject. She'd said her piece. It wasn't her responsibility to force him to quit. If he wanted to smoke himself into an early grave, there was nothing she could do to stop him. "What'd Mickey do when she saw you?" she asked.

"She didn't see me. She ran in and while she was huggin' Jess, I left."

"Are you guys ever going to talk about it? I mean, this is totally fixable. You know that, right?"

Leon shrugged. "She's stubborn, hates confrontation, and has a firm belief that she's always right. You think we can work things out? I doubt she'll even listen to me, and I'm not going to bend on this one."

"Oh c'mon, Lee. You told her you wanted to have _fun_. How dense can you be?"

"That's what you told me!"

"I didn't think you were going to say it to _her_!" Alex exclaimed on a laugh. "There's a better way to explain how you feel."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Really? Go ahead. Try it."

She pressed her lips together as she thought. "You could've calmly explained to her that you loved her and while you didn't want kids _now_ and didn't want to get married _now_. You'd think about doing it in the future."

"I don't want kids."

"_Now_ who's being stubborn?" she shot back at him.

Leon scowled at her. "Maybe we need a break," he admitted, running a hand through his hair before hanging his head.

Alex shook her head at him. She knew he was saying it because he, like Michaela, liked to avoid drama at all costs. "You should fight for her, Lee. You know that's what she wants."

"Is it what _I_ want?"

"Would you get your head out of your ass for like five minutes and really think? Think about the future. Think about where you want to be in five, ten years! Is it sad and alone wishing you'd gone after her? Or is it with her, just being happy? Because that's what she makes you. Anyone with eyes can see that!"

He lifted his head to glare at her. At his look, she held up her hands in defeat. "Whatever, Lee," she said pushing away from the table. "Talking to you is fuckin' useless. I know you already made up your mind. Just don't come crying to me when you see her with someone else because all I'll say is I fuckin' told you so."

Leon's eyes widened as he watched her walk away. The last sentence had sounded so much like Essie it was scary. And the way her green eyes had glared at him with barely concealed anger were also eerily like his sister's. If it weren't for the outrageous height difference, he'd have a trouble keeping them straight. Shaking his head, he stood and headed outside for a cigarette.

* * *

Alex stared at Ronnie who was spread across her bed on his stomach. He'd taken to sleeping with her after he'd heard her crying one night. He insisted that it was better to have company while she cried than be locked in her room alone while everyone else was sleeping. She got into the bed, nudging his thigh so he'd scoot over. He moved without waking up, nuzzling his face deeper into his pillow.

She sat down on Vince's side of the bed and grabbed her pillow, burying her face into it. It had been Vince's pillow, but she had started using it, preferring it over her own because it still smelled like him. Tears came before she could stop them as they usually did now that she was pregnant.

She was truly sad for Leon and Michaela. They'd had such a good thing going for so long and in one crucial moment, it was all destroyed. It was like someone had pulled the wrong Jenga piece and it all came toppling down. The worst part was Leon wasn't willing to fix it. He was giving up.

What if Vince gave up on her? What if he changed his mind about getting married? She'd heard time and time again that prison changed a man…what if it changed _her_ man? Maybe once he was out, he'd want to be free from _everything_ including her. What if he forgot about her? She wasn't allowed to see him, so she couldn't remind him and the last few times they'd talked on the phone, they'd fought. They weren't big fights. Just silly little fights about nothing that mostly came from how angry she was about not being on that damn visitor's list. She'd written him a letter, but his response wasn't very satisfying. Sniffing, she reached out and grabbed the worn piece of paper from her bedside table and read it again,

_Tiny_,

_Everything's fine here. Love you._

_Be good,_

_V_

Alex ran her fingers over his scratchy script. His writing seemed to be etched into the paper as it always did since he put too much pressure onto the pen. She'd made fun of him for it once, telling him that he wrote like a caveman trying to scratch something into a rock. He'd laughed at that one and then gave her shit for making her "A" look like a star in her signature. She hugged the letter close to her heart as if the hug could somehow transfer to Vince.

"You cryin' again?" Ronnie questioned, his voice slow and sleepy.

"No," she lied, wiping at her eyes.

But there was no hiding from Ronnie. With a groan, he flipped over and sat up. "C'mere," he grunted, holding out his arm to her.

"What if he forgets about me, Ron?" she sobbed, leaning into his side and resting her head against his strong shoulder.

Ronnie had the audacity to laugh at her. She lifted her head to glare at him and he shrugged. "I'm sorry, Lexi, but that's fuckin' ridiculous. How is this guy going to forget about _you_? He loves you. I think he's proved that more than once."

"Yeah but look at this letter. He barely wrote anything!"

Sighing, he took the letter she offered him and read it over. "Looks like he wrote all that matters. He's fine, he loves you, and he wants you to be good. What else do you want him to write, Lexi? He's in prison for cryin' out loud! You want him to go into detail about the people there? _Hey wifey, I met a murderer today. Don't worry, he promised he won't use the shank he's making on me._ Would you be happy to hear _that?_"

She gasped, her eyes wide. "Ron, what if he gets shanked and the last time I saw him was when he was being taken away?" she asked, more tears falling from her eyes.

Ronnie instantly regretted even mentioning it. "He's not going to get shanked. I was just kidding around."

"Don't _do_ that," she said, elbowing him. "I have enough stress as it is!"

"C'mon, Lex, you think a guy that size would let someone shank him? The shiv would probably break on his rock hard abs," he joked with a roll of his eyes. Alex giggled at the idea, wiping at her eyes. Ronnie let out a sigh of relief, glad he could make her stop crying. "It's all going to be okay, Lexi. You just have to have a little faith and trust and…"

"If you say pixie dust, I will _kill_ you."

He frowned. "Nevermind."

* * *

Let me know what you think! Your comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc. are well loved and listened to. If there's something you want to happen, let me know, if I like it, I'll put it in there! :)

Thanks again for reading! Ya'll are awesome!

~Love Ink


	53. Not Right

Thanks to all the congratulations! :) After four long years of hard work and fun, I finally graduated from my university! YAY! Now I'll have a lot more time to write! YAY! ;)

A trillion thanks and hugs to: **Magenta Stone **(I'm working on a short fic. We'll see if I like it enough to post it ;])**, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, VincesDirtyGirl **( I'm working on the dragging issue, I swear! :) I just don't want to go too fast either…)**, Violet201, ** **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(I'm loving your new story, btw)**, **and **Rue Dawn**.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 53: Not Right_

**By: LoveInk**

A few weeks later…

Mia felt the usual nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach as she approached the prison. She sucked in a deep breath as she headed through the main lobby doors. The man behind the reception desk glanced at her before recognition flashed through his dark eyes. "Mia! It's been a long time since I've seen you around here!" he exclaimed with a bright smile.

She gave the man a small smile. "Hello James. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. Is your brother back here?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. It's another brother. Vincent Catella."

He typed a few things on the computer. "Go right on through, Mia."

"Thank you," Mia said walking passed the metal detector.

It took a while but soon she was sitting at the plastic table in the meeting room, waiting for Vince. She drummed her nails on the table as she waited anxiously. So much had gone on in the past few weeks; she didn't know where to even begin.

She watched him round the corner, his usual scowl on his face. His hair and beard were longer and messier than usual making him look even more bear like. She was pleased to see they'd let him change into a casual dress shirt and beige slacks.

"Mia," he greeted with a grunt as he sat down across from her.

The prison was a low security one, meaning they got to share a table rather than speak to each other through a glass pane. "Hey V," she said on a sigh. "How are you?"

"Fine," he said curtly as he set his interlocked hands on the table. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said with a shrug. "Can't say the same for everyone else, though."

"Is it Alex? Is she okay? What happened?" he asked, his questions coming out quickly as his blue eyes grew worried.

Mia smiled warmly and shook her head. "She's fine. Just pregnant and crazy. It's Mickey and Leon I'm worried about."

Vince sighed in relief. "What happened?"

"They broke up."

"What'd he do?" he asked. He knew better than to think Michaela had said or done something wrong since Leon usually gave into whatever she wanted. Mia sighed heavily before launching into the whole story, going into more detail than he wanted. When she was finally done, he heaved a sigh and ran a hand over his face. "Gimme a break. They really broke up over that?"

Mia nodded. "Now, they won't talk to each other. Mickey moved back into your place. She's been hanging out with this guy now…Jeremy or something. He's nice. They're not serious or anything and she's never slept over…"

"Mia, please. Stop. Talking," Vince said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How's Alex?"

"She's better now. She's out of the moody stage so she's not crying all the time any more, though sometimes she gets sad. Mostly because of you. Now she gets these weird cravings. Luckily the boys are always ready and willing to drive places to get what she wants. Jess has been the best at that. He knows where to get the weirdest things. Like last night, she wanted a California burrito and none of us knew what it was but Jess did. He got it for her."

Vince smirked. "How's Jess doing?"

"Fine. He's back to driving and working on cars again. Slowly, of course. He can't do much heavy lifting so Lee's got him on the computer instead of under the hood," she explained with a smile. "I have pictures!"

He gently picked up the first one he slid over. It was of Michaela lying on the beach, scowling up at the camera. Leon was sitting at her side, laughing. "This was before?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, we haven't developed the more recent roles so these are from a few weeks ago," she explained with a frown. "Here's one of Lex and Ronnie sleeping. I know you two had a fight about that but look, they're not even cuddling."

He smirked as he stared at the picture. When Alex had told him that she and Ronnie were sharing a bed, he had flipped out. Looking at the picture, he saw that he hadn't had cause to. Alex was sleeping on his side of the bed, curled into a ball, her face pressed against his pillow and Ronnie was on the exact opposite side, on his stomach, his face pointed away from her. He ran a finger over her sleeping form. "Is she any bigger?" he asked, swallowing hard.

"Yeah. You can tell she's pregnant now. She hates that." Mia pointed to another picture. It was of just Alex in her little green bikini. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, big mirrored aviators covering half her face, and her tongue sticking out. He glanced at her stomach and noticed it was a lot rounder than he remembered it being. He also noticed her chest had gotten a bit larger as well. God, he missed her. "She was upset because Ronnie hid her surfboard because he didn't want her to surf while pregnant," Mia explained with a laugh.

Vince chuckled, he knew well how annoyed his fiancée got when she wanted something and someone got in her way. "Did she find it?"

"No, he put it on top of one of the cabinets in the garage. She can't reach it. He also puts all the coffee on the tallest shelf so she can't drink it since he heard it causes premature labor. Ron's good about that kind of stuff. He's been taking care of her. Making her take vitamins and being patient with her moods. They bitch at each other constantly though. But say one bad thing about either of them and they'll turn on you. It's sweet."

"Sounds like somebody has a crush," he grunted, taking his eyes off the picture to give Mia a look.

Mia scowled and rolled her eyes. "Ronnie? No. Ew. I was just letting you know that she's well taken care of."

"Wish I could be the one takin' care of her," he muttered under his breath.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "When do you get a probation hearing?"

"A few months. I have to hit the halfway mark first."

"Good. You better be behaving," she said wagging a finger in his face.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, Mama Mia," he teased with a smirk.

"I have one more picture," she said giving him a thinner piece of paper. A blurry black and white image was on there. "It's an ultra sound. That's your kid. See, there's its head and its little arm and feet. Lex, insisted that the doctor not even try to make out its sex, but I think it's a girl."

His eyes grew sad as he ran his fingers over the blurry image. He should be there. He should've been the one at the doctor's office holding her hand and listening to his baby's heartbeat. He should be there to talk some sense into his sister and kick Leon's sorry ass. He should be home. Not stuck behind bars only able to experience these things through crappy photos. His hand slowly curled into a fist and hit the table. "This is such bullshit," he muttered under his breath. "I should be there for her, for them."

Mia knew she was treading dangerous waters now. If he got any angrier, he might take his anger out on something else, and then there'd be no chance of him coming home early. She smiled at him reassuringly. "V, calm down. You're going to be home soon. You just need to behave yourself. It's just a few more weeks, Vince. You can do it. Just be positive."

Vince sighed and bobbed his head up and down in a nod. "I know. You tell them you were comin'?"

"Mickey knows. I didn't see Lex or the guys before I came. I've been living at your place with Mickey, so other than when they come to lunch, I don't see the guys often," she admitted with a frown. "Lex, I see more because we do baby stuff together."

"Does she hate me?"

Mia laughed and shook her head. "No, Vince. Of course not! She could never hate you. She just…misses you. A lot. We all do."

"Time, miss," the guard said, interrupting whatever Vince was going to say in response.

"Tell Lex I love her," Vince told Mia, a mixture of sadness and anger on his face. "I'll see you around."

Mia nodded. "Be good, Vince. Don't do anything stupid. Remember the Gremlin."

* * *

Michaela raised an eyebrow at the unknown number. Vince rarely called her cell phone, and when he did it was because he couldn't reach Alex anywhere else. Sighing, she picked it up. "Hey bro. I'm not with Alex right now. I think she's at home."

"I didn't call to talk to her, Mickey. I called to talk to you," his deep voice replied.

She grimaced, she knew what this was about. She couldn't say it caught her by surprise. She'd avoided talking to him about it for weeks, and she knew Alex hadn't said anything. Phone time with Vince was so precious and short; they didn't usually talk about anything else but the baby. But Mia had gone to the prison the day before, so she should've expected it. "Don't waste your phone time, bro. I'm fine. "

"I've got plenty of time on the cards," Vince stated confidently. "Spill."

Michaela sighed. "We don't want the same things."

"I don't believe that. You want him, he wants you. What's wrong?"

"V, he doesn't want to get married, he doesn't want a family. I want that."

Vince let out a long sigh. "Mickey, you don't want that right now, do you? It ain't easy."

"See, you guys all say that, but look at you and Lex! You're doing it!"

"Is that why you're going insane?" he questioned on a laugh. "Always gotta copy me, huh Mickey?"

She scowled. Of course, he would make this about him! Sure, she did want what he and Lex had, but she wasn't copying him. She wanted a life of her own…that was similar to his. And who wouldn't? They were happy together! What was so wrong with wanting that? "That's not why, Vince," she assured him.

"Sounds like it."

"Don't be ridiculous. I wanted kids and a family long before you did!"

Vince chuckled at his immature sister. "Micks, you're just a baby. You have lots of time for all the business. You probably scared the crap out of Lee."

Michaela clenched her teeth tightly together, trying to hold in her anger. "I am _not_ a baby, Vince! I have wants and needs and _dreams_ and I don't want to give them up because he's too stubborn to look in the future! He says he doesn't want kids, but I know he will eventually, right? He has to! He loves kids! I see him with his nieces and nephew. He freakin' loves them!"

"Michaela, you can't change what he wants. If he doesn't want kids, that ain't gonna change. He's gotta have a reason why."

"He does," she said, frowning slightly as she remembered his "I won't be good at it" reason. She was almost positive there was something he wasn't telling her, but she had been too angry with him to find out what it was. "And it's dumb. And I have to go. I have a date tonight."

Vince rolled his eyes. "A first one? That poor sucker."

"No, it's actually a third one, and we all know what that means," she replied with a smirk. "Ta-ta, V. Be good!" With that she hung up and skipped back up to her room to get ready.

She hadn't been lying to her brother when she told him she was going on a third date with someone. She'd met Jeremiah Johnson at a bar one night. He'd been sitting in the corner, a cowboy hat covering half his face as he drank his Budweiser. He'd noticed her as soon as she sat down and had asked if he could sit next to her in his thick Southern drawl and because she was royally pissed off at Leon, she'd said yes.

They'd gotten to talking and she found that, although he didn't give her butterflies or make her heart skip a beat, she did like him. He was charming and polite and he made her laugh. She couldn't ask for much more.

She changed into her cut-off jeans and the cowboy boots she'd stolen from Alex. They were too tight on her because Alex's feet were ridiculously tiny, but it would be worth it to see Jem laugh. He loved when she tried to be act country since she was clearly a city girl. Looking at herself in the mirror, she sucked in a deep breath. It was times like this when she didn't recognize herself.

The girl staring back at her in the pigtails and plaid shirt was not the same girl she'd been a few weeks before. The girl she saw reflected back at her was older, smarter. She didn't give into impulses or act like a child. She respected Jem and listened to him instead of fighting him like she did with Leon.

Michaela smiled at the new girl, though she wasn't sure if she liked her yet. Picking up her keys, she headed to her Celica. She flipped down the sun-visor to check her appearance once last time when something fell out of it. It was a note written in Leon's neat cursive with just a few simple words on it. She crumpled it into a fist and tossed it into her back seat before starting her car and peeling out of the driveway trying to ignore the niggling voice at the back of her head that was screaming at her to turn the car around and head right back to Leon and the girl she'd been before.

* * *

I swear I'm trying to make it move faster! Sorry! :(

Did you like this? I would've put more of Michaela's new boy "wooing" her but I tried writing it and it just felt...awkward in the story (and made it move even slower!).

Any changes/suggestions/comments/boos/cheers, etc are greatly appreciated! Leave them in a review. :)

~Love Ink


	54. Slipping

Sorry it's taken me so long to update! My grandma is really sick so I've been busy helping her and my Mom as best I can with whatever she needs. :( I have another chapter ready to go after this so I'll be posting it soon. :)

Thanks for the patience and the love from the fabulous reviewers: **Rue Dawn **(Your long review definitely deserved a quicker update, and I'm so sorry I couldn't give it to you :(. But I'm glad you liked it!), **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Violet201, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, VincesDirtyGirl, symmasters **(I'll try to write Dom and Let in soon. I'm just looking for the perfect place. ;)), and **littleone999**. Ya'll rock!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 54: Slipping_

**By: LoveInk**

Leon put the last of his sister's luggage into the car with a grunt. Turning, he looked back at his sister who was talking to Alex; no doubt about her pregnancy. His eyes gravitated towards the lawn where Michaela was standing with Mattias perched on her hip. The little boy was talking to her in his broken English and she was nodding away as though she knew exactly what he was talking about.

It was the first time he'd seen her since they'd broken up, and he had to admit it hurt. He wanted to touch her, hug her, at least say something to her, but when they were finally in front of each other, he just couldn't bring himself to do any of those things. She'd looked up at him, a challenge in her blue eyes, and he'd backed down. What was he going to say to her anyway? He'd already heard from Alex that she'd been seeing other guys. Was she expecting him to fight her about it?

Michaela could feel those green eyes watching her and she had to stop herself from looking up to meet his gaze. She stayed focused on the little boy in her arms, fighting against the urge, knowing that if she gave in, he won. He'd know she was still thinking about him and still not over him. She couldn't have that. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Secretly, she wished he'd say something to her. Ask her how she's been so she could throw her new fling in his face and see his reaction. He didn't though, and she wasn't about to bring it up; that was just cruel. She _did_ wish he had said _something_ to her. Even just a simple greeting. She'd missed his gruff voice and the way she'd get shivers when he said her name.

"Mickey!" Ronnie's voice exclaimed as he walked down the front steps carrying Hope on his back. "What's up girl? I haven't seen you in ages." He set Hope down, grinning at her as she ran to her sister.

She smiled back at him. "Nothin' much. Nice place you got here, Ron. You ever use it?"

He looked back at the massive house and shook his head. "Nah. I usually stay with Fish and Lex in the guest room. This house is huge and ostentatious. I only bought it so Eddie couldn't. Fish said he'll move over here once Vince gets out of the pen and the baby's born. That way they got some privacy. Maybe we'll take mopey butt with us."

Michaela giggled when Ronnie nodded toward Leon, indicating that the "mopey butt" he was talking about was him. "A bona-fide bachelor pad, huh?"

He shrugged. "Something like that. What's the deal with you and this new guy?"

It was her turn to shrug. She knew whatever she told Ronnie would go straight back to Alex and then to Leon, so she figured she'd play it safe. "None of your business."

Ronnie scowled at her before sighing. "Fair enough."

Leon pulled his eyes away from her for a brief moment and turned towards his older sister. She was looking up at him with worried green eyes, her eyebrows drawn together in concern. He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm fine, Mama Bear," he said with a small smirk.

"You don't look fine," she shot back. "You look miserable."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Time to go?"

She let out a long sigh and nodded. "Kids, say goodbye!" she called to them.

One by one, the three kids said goodbye to each of their pseudo-aunts, Ronnie, and their uncles before getting into the mini-van. Adrienne said goodbye to Michaela and Mia before approaching Alex. "You keep taking those vitamins and taking care of yourself, okay?" she advised sternly. "You need anything, you call me. Whatever time of night, all right?"

"Yes Mama Bear," Alex replied with a small smile.

Adri pulled her into an embrace. "Take care of him," she whispered into her ear. "He needs you. You don't bug him like Jess and I do. You're patient like Essie was and he needs that."

"Don't worry, Ade. I got him."

The other girl's eyes widened briefly for a moment. Only one person had ever called her "Ade" and that was Essie. "Good. Thanks."

Adrienne gave Ronnie a big hug before hugging and kissing Jesse and then she stood in front of her brother. "You going to be okay?" she asked him once more.

He rolled his eyes at her and sighed dramatically. "_Yes_. I'm going to be _fine_. I _am_ fine, Adri. Would you get out of here and stop worrying? Jeez!"

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Leo. Keep in touch this time, all right? Don't go invisible on us again."

"I won't," he promised with a small smile.

"See you later?" Adri asked, wondering if he remembered their tradition. Growing up, the three Donati siblings refused to say goodbye to each other. It was the finality of it that they'd been uncomfortable with. She'd never told Leon, but the day Essie got into her crash, they'd said goodbye to each other. A definitive one. Both of them had realized their mistake and quickly corrected it, but it had always bothered Adrienne and made her feel somewhat responsible for her sister's crash.

He nodded. "Later days." He closed the car door behind her, giving a wink to his nieces and nephew just as the car started pulling away. His green eyes followed the car until the tail lights were no longer visible.

"Who wants a barbeque? Drinks on the house!" Ronnie exclaimed, throwing his arms out to the side, a wide grin on his face. "Michaela?"

Michaela baulked at the suggestion. On the one hand, she was supposed to meet Jem for dinner. On the other hand, she hadn't spent time with Jess, Alex, and Ronnie in forever. She glanced over at Leon who was studying her with an intense gaze. Shifting awkwardly, she nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Things were going well for Michaela at the barbeque. It was easy to avoid Leon since the three men stayed by the grill while the girls gossiped in the lounge chairs by Ronnie's pimped out pool. She snuck glances at Leon, mostly to see if he was looking back at her. Sometimes he was, other times he wasn't. She tried to be discreet about it, but Alex caught her frown when she saw Leon stick a cigarette in his mouth and light up.

"So you've noticed his nasty new habit," Alex stated with a knowing grin. "Lovely, isn't it? You should tell him to stop. He'll listen to you."

Michaela scowled at her. "I don't care what he does."

Mia snorted. "Bull shit."

"I don't," she insisted with a roll of her eyes. "I'm just worried about you, Lex. Second hand smoke is bad for the baby and I don't want my future nephew to come out deformed."

"Niece," Mia corrected.

Mickey's eyes widened. "You know for sure?"

Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No and neither does Mia because I made the doctor cover the screen, but she's insisting…"

"All the old wives tales point to a girl, Lex."

"They're called "tales" for a reason, _Mia_," Alex shot back.

Michaela got the feeling they'd had this argument before. She tuned them out as they bickered, her eyes falling on Jesse. She was so happy to see him smiling and laughing with the guys. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He caught her glance and made his way over to her. "Sup, girl?" he asked, sitting down next to her on the lounge chair. He handed her a beer.

She took one long gulp before sighing. "Nothin'. Been busy."

"Busy with this Jem guy?"

"Something like that," she said on a shrug. "He's a nice guy. You'll like him."

Jesse took a long drag of his cigarette, his falling on Leon. "He misses you, you know."

Michaela winced in response. That was not something she wanted to hear. How was she supposed to respond to that? "Cool," she stated lamely.

"You miss him too."

It was a statement, not a question and that bothered Michaela. She hated how Jesse always seemed to know how she was feeling. She did miss Leon. Jem was so different. He was sweet and charismatic but he didn't make her laugh like Leon did. He tried, but she usually forced a fake laugh to make him feel good. And even in their most intimate moments, Jem didn't turn her on like Leon did. His touches didn't send shivers down her spine nor did he make her heart skip a beat. So, yes, she did miss Leon, missed him like crazy, but she wasn't about to admit that to Jesse. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, sipping on her beer. "Do not."

"Yeah. Right," he replied on a snort. "You can kid yourself all you want, Micks, but I know you. This Jem guy, you don't like him. Not like Leon. That's why you stayed for the barbeque. You miss him."

"No, I stayed because I miss _you_ _guys_," she lied with a roll of her eyes. "I feel like he won you and Lex in a divorce or something and that's not fair."

"Bullshit. I see you every other day and you and Lex _work_ together. You miss him."

"I do _not_."

Jesse was about to say something when Ronnie announced it was time for dinner. He flicked his cigarette on the ground and stubbed it out with his booted toe. "Whatever, Mickey," he murmured before heading over to the table.

Dinner was absolute hell for Michaela. The only empty seat was the one across from Leon. So she sat there, trying her best to look at everyone but him. She didn't know what made it so hard for her to look at him. She was still pissed at him, and rightfully so, she should want to glare at him, but she found when every time she tried, she felt a hollow feeling in her stomach. Looking at him made her feel like she was missing something.

When they were done, Michaela was ordered to wash the dishes while the other two girls cleared the table. She took her plate in and started the task at hand, mindlessly going through the motions of washing and putting the dishes in the dry rack. "Forgot one."

His gruff voice pulled her from her own thoughts as it sent shivers down her spine. It was the first thing he'd said to her all day. "Right. Thanks."

"Yeah," he said on a nod. "Need help drying?"

"Sure."

She watched his hands as he picked up a dishtowel and started drying a plate. His smell filled her nose, a mix of his motor oil, Old Spice, and cigarettes. The same way he'd smelled when she first met him. It was a hot, manly smell that made her ache to hold him, to kiss him, to…she stopped her train of thought and tried to focus on the flowery smell of the soap instead. She was so focused on this task that when he finally spoke, he scared the crap out of her.

"How you been?" Leon asked, observing her out of the corner of his eye.

She bit her lip and shrugged. "Good. You?"

"Fine."

There was something in the way he said it that tugged on her heartstrings. Michaela set her plate down and finally met his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the intensity of his gaze. She tried to look away, but she found she couldn't. His eyes drew her in closer. In a moment of weakness, she found herself rolling up onto the balls of her feet and catching his lips in one, soft kiss.

* * *

Thanks again for your patience at my slow updating. Let me know what you think about this one! I swear I'll post the new chapter up soon. I just have to edit it a bit. ;)

~Love Ink


	55. Fire and Gasoline

I know, it's taken me a long time to update. My grandmother just passed away and I was very close to her, so I've been dealing with that and not really in the mood to do anything but cry. But I'm trying to be strong and you guys are such awesome readers/reviewers, I figured you'd understand. :) So here's the next chapter…

Thanks for the patience and the love from the fabulous reviewers: **Rue Dawn**, **Violet201, ** **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, VincesDirtyGirl, **and **littleone999**.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 55: Fire and Gasoline_

**By: LoveInk**

Mia watched Alex, Jesse, and Ronnie kick a soccer ball lazily back and forth. Jesse was kicking it half-heartedly while the other two were clearly showing off. For being pregnant, Alex was incredibly agile, jumping and kicking like a soccer star, and Ronnie was no different. Mia had to admit, she was impressed by the two of them. "You two were athletes in high school, huh?" she asked from her seat in a lawn chair.

"Oh yeah," Alex said, turning to kick the ball with her heel. "Ronnie was a cheerleader and I was a linebacker."

Ronnie chuckled as he nodded enthusiastically. "Alex also was a pretty sweet shortstop."

"Thanks Ron," she replied sarcastically. "You were a bitchin' diver."

"It's my narrow shoulders," he joked, standing straight to show that his shoulders were anything but narrow.

Mia scowled at both of them, slightly offended by their teasing. She'd meant them to take her comment as a compliment. "I was being serious. I don't see what's so funny about the question."

"Mi, we went to normal high school for like half a year before we went on tour," Alex explained with a shrug. "We didn't have a chance to be jocks."

"That's crazy! You said you graduated high school! You both did!"

"Well, yeah," Ronnie answered. "My Mom has her teaching degree. She homeschooled us while on tour. Why do you think we don't have very many friends? Our graduating class had all of three people in it. Me, her, and Fish."

Mia stared at both of them, her mouth agape. She couldn't even imagine such a lifestyle! No football games or proms! While Mia marveled over that idea, Jesse asked, "Did you ever try it?"

"Lex did. We had a hiatus or somethin' for a year while recording and her mom made her go back," explained Ronnie, throwing a teasing grin Alex's way.

"Don't remind me," Alex grumbled. She gave the ball a hard kick before turning towards Mia. "That's where I learned not to trust other girls. Stupid, fake bitches. They'd bully me. Teasing me and calling me names, making fun of Eddie. And if they weren't bullying me, they were trying to meet the band and get music contacts through me. I hated it."

It all made sense now. The way Alex had hated talking about her personal life, the way she was only friends with guys before Vince had brought her to their barbeque. "Huh. You make a lot more sense now, Lex," she said before going back to her magazine.

Alex snorted in response. If she had known that was all it took, she'd have explained that to Mia much earlier. Her green eyes followed the path of the ball as Ronnie juggled it before she caught his gaze. His hazel eyes glanced at something behind her, his head nodding just the smallest bit, indicating for her to turn around.

She turned slowly and had to cover her mouth to stop from gasping. Through the window, she could see Leon and Michaela…making out. Alex turned back to Ronnie with wide eyes and he just chuckled in response. Jesse grinned triumphantly as though it was all his doing. "Win," he said softly, pumping a fist in the air.

"What?" Mia questioned, looking between the trio. They'd gone back to their little game and looked the same as ever, just kicking the ball passively between them as if nothing had happened.

"Nothing," Alex said flippantly.

Mia studied them more closely, waiting for one of them to betray whatever joke they'd been sharing. And then Alex did it. She looked over her shoulder towards the window. Mia got up to glance at whatever her friend had been checking on and gasped. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!" she exclaimed.

"Mia, shush!" Alex hissed at her, waving at her to get down.

"I shouldn't be surprised. They're like fire and gasoline, put them together and something's bound to ignite."

"Let's hope it doesn't blow up in their faces," Ronnie murmured under his breath.

* * *

Leon felt her hands snake under his shirt. A voice in his head told him to stop her before she did something she'd regret, but he found he couldn't. He wanted her more than he wanted to admit. Tangling his hands into her hair, he kissed her more forcefully, as if he could convey his feelings through the kiss. She responded with a soft moan that just about drove him crazy.

And then she was off him. Jumping back as if she'd been burnt. "I'm sorry," Michaela apologized quickly, wiping at her mouth. She was slowly backing away from him, a look of guilt bleeding into her eyes. "I can't…"

"Michaela don't," he said, reaching out for her. She just shook her head in response and darted out the door.

He winced as the front door slammed shut behind her. Frustration filled him. Why had she kissed him like that? Why did she want to go reminding him of things that would never be again? Growling, he kicked the cabinet before storming out into the backyard.

He hated her. Hated her for teasing him like that. For kissing him when he'd just begun to let her go. All the feelings he'd been pushing away came rushing back like a tidal wave. "Bitch," he muttered to no one in particular. He lit up a cigarette and took a long drag, trying to calm down.

"She's fire," Jesse stated as he took a seat next to Leon.

Leon looked at him like he was crazy. "What?"

"Mia brought it up. She said you and Mickey were like gasoline and fire. She's fire," he explained easily. "She has all this passion and these big hopes and dreams that burn brightly and when she met you they just ignited and grew even bigger because you're gasoline. But then they grew too big and you didn't have enough gas to feed it anymore because a puddle of gas grows slower than the quickly igniting fire. It makes sense. All couples are like that if you think about it."

He rubbed at his temples, trying to make sense of what his friend was saying. "Jess, are you trying to make a point?"

Jesse shrugged a shoulder in response. "Dunno. Just thought it was interesting."

"You're trying to tell me I'll grow to fit her needs and then we'll get back together and live happily ever after," Leon said on a sigh as he shook his head. "Ain't gonna happen. Her "fire", or whatever, will only get bigger, Jess. How am I supposed to keep up with it? Eventually it'll just consume everything and then where will we be? Miserable, that's where."

"I don't think that's true," he replied, lighting a cigarette of his own. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Jesse cleared his throat and said, "I saw Essie."

Leon's eyes snapped to him, widening slightly. "What?"

"Yeah, man. Before I woke up, she came to me and was talking to me," Jesse explained, waving his hands around. "She looked good, man. Happy. Said she watches us like a fuckin' soap opera or something. She was always into that shit, remember?"

He nodded in confirmation. "Ess and her fuckin' _telenovelas_." (Spanish soap operas)

"Yeah, well, that's what we are to her in heaven or something," Jesse continued with a small smile. "Anyways, she told me to tell you to stop being selfish and get your head out of your ass before you lose her forever. Of course, it was Ess so every other word was 'fuck,' but…oh yeah! And she loves you and misses you."

Leon swallowed back the lump in his throat as he thought of Essie. "Dumbass," he said, his voice coming out low and gruff as he fought back tears. It was something he'd called his sister so much, it was no longer an insult between them. "It ain't going to work, Jess. Whether you saw her or not, it doesn't matter. She's not here, in case you haven't noticed. There's nothing she can do about it."

Jesse hated when Leon said things like that. He usually got on his case about it, saying Essie was always with them whether his thick head wanted to believe it or not. This time, he didn't have the heart to get angry with Leon. He could tell his friend was really hurting. "Whatever, Lee," he said on a sigh. "I can't force anything on you, but I _did_ see her, and she _did_ say that. And we both know Essie was rarely wrong. So you do what you gotta do but at the end of the day, you gotta follow your heart instead of your stubborn ass head."

* * *

With that, he put out his cigarette and clapped him on the shoulder before heading back inside leaving Leon with his thoughts.

Like it? Let me know in a review!

Again, thanks for being patient with me. I really appreciate it. :)

~Love Ink


	56. Desire

Finally getting back into the groove of things. Thank you readers so much for your patience and support! All your kind words sincerely touched my heart and made me feel better. :) You're the best!

Thanks so much to: **Xsparklesthemagicalunicorn,** **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto** (Thanks for checking up on me in your sweet PMs! I really appreciate it), **Rue Dawn** (Your review was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you so much.), **VincesDirtyGirl** (Thank you so much for your offer to talk and your prayers. I really appreciate it.), **Violet201**, and **lovely-whisper** (I _did_, in fact, find support in all the amazing reviews. Thank you!).

Here's one chapter, the next will be posted tomorrow, I promise!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 56: Desire_

**By: LoveInk**

A month later…

Leon sat on his bed and just stared at his hands. He couldn't get the image out of his head. He'd been driving home from the garage when he saw them walking down the street toward the store. She was holding his hand, her head thrown back as she laughed, her silky dark hair tumbling over her shoulders.

He'd pulled over the car and just watched them, feeling sick to his stomach. How could she look so happy? It'd only been a few weeks since they'd broken up. Anger filled him. What was she doing with this tool? Hadn't she kissed him just weeks before? He slammed his palm on the steering wheel. It wasn't fair! How could she just move on like that? How could she be happy without him? He certainly wasn't happy without her. Resisting the urge to get out of the car and kick the crap out of that damn cowboy, he sped back to Alex's place.

And here he sat feeling absolutely miserable. He knew had no claim on her. He'd given that up a when he hadn't chased after her the minute she'd left. Alex had told him Michaela had moved on, but he didn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. Especially not after she'd kissed him like that in the kitchen. He just lived his life as if nothing had happened. As if she'd be waiting for him when he got home from work.

But she never was and at the end of each day, that absence hit him like a ton of bricks. Now it hurt even more because he knew who she was going home to. Standing, he grabbed his little carton of cigarettes and headed outside.

* * *

When he walked back inside, Alex was sitting on the couch, a bottle of nail polish on the coffee table in front of her. She was desperately trying to angle herself around her round tummy to get to her toes. He could see the frustration written all over her face and bit back the urge to laugh. "Havin' fun?" he asked, throwing himself down on the couch next to her.

She looked up at him and frowned. "No," she said on a pout. "I'm a fuckin' whale and I can't reach my toes."

He chuckled and extended his palm out to her. "Gimme."

"You paint toes?"

Leon shrugged a shoulder. "How difficult can it be? The polish goes _on_ the nail, right?"

She gave him a thankful smile as she nodded. "Thank you."

"Yeah," he said, uncapping the bright orange nail polish. "Where'd you come from?"

She looked down at her feet, watching his agile fingers gently swipe paint over her toe nails. "I had lunch with Michaela and her…well, her boyfriend."

He hand jerked to the side, painting a streak of orange along the skin of her toe. That's why he'd seen her taking that dumb cowboy to the store! She was introducing him to her family! "Shit, sorry Lex," he mumbled, wiping it off with his finger.

"No worries. It comes off in the shower," she said, studying him instead of her toes. His shoulders had visibly tightened and she could tell whatever he was feeling, he was consciously reigning it in. "Say it."

"What?"

"Whatever you're thinking right now. Just let it out. Yell it at me. Go 'head," she urged.

He sighed, capping the polish and putting it on the table. "It's just…she wanted him to meet you so…it's fuckin' serious now. She's not kidding around with this cowboy dickhead. This isn't a fuckin' fling, this shit is going to last! And I can't…why would she jump me in the kitchen last month if she's going to stay with this stupid dickhead cowboy? She drives me up the fuckin' wall and I can't handle it, Lex! What the fuck does she want me to think? Are we done? Is it over? Or is she trying to make me fuckin' jealous? I don't get it!"

Alex nodded her head as she listened. She got the sense he wasn't done with his little tirade so she sat and waited. He took a deep breath and continued, "The worst part is…it's fuckin' working, Lex. I'm jealous as hell but I can't fucking do anything about it. I got no claim on her. She can go fuck whoever the hell she wants and I can't do anything about it. Do you know how fuckin' hard that is?"

"I can only imagine, boo."

"Oh, and did you know she slipped into my fuckin' window the other night? Drunk as hell and all she wanted to do was…well, you know…and what the fuck was I supposed to do? Push her away? I can't fucking do that! Any other girl, I could say no. I could tell them to go fuck themselves, but Michaela…I can't fuckin' _do_ anything. I can't even _say_ anything to her because every time I open my mouth, all I want to do is ask her _why_! Ask her _why _she had to be so fuckin' stupid and ask about kids, about getting married. And why she wants to live her life in fast-fuckin'-forward when I want to take my fuckin' time and enjoy it! I just…fuck!"

"So that's what all that noise was the other night," Alex commented, her expression slightly amused.

He sighed, breathing hard from his little rant. Nodding, he ran a hand through his hair. "She's fuckin' crazy."

"You make her that way."

Leon shook his head. "I fuckin' hate it."

"And that one rounds out the f-word count to a nice twenty. Good job," she said on a giggle. "This baby is going to come out cussing like a sailor. I would not be surprised if his first word was 'fuck.' We all certainly say it enough."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her. "I spill out my guts and all you do is count swear words. Thanks, Shorty."

She grinned at him. "Lee, you gotta relax. She'll come around. I know that cowboy isn't half the man you are. _Hakuna matata_." (No worries.)

"You've been watching Disney movies again, haven't you?"

"Grem likes them," she replied on a shrug, her hand rubbing over her round tummy. "But seriously. I wouldn't stress about Jem. The fool drives a Ford-360 or something. Can you imagine Mickey in one of those? She hates it. He drives like a turtle too. And you know Mickey, she likes to go fast. Their whole relationship is being held together by Michaela's stubbornness. I honestly doubt she even likes him; she's just with him to prove that she doesn't need you. But she does. And she's slowly realizing it."

"A Ford-360?" he asked a smirk on his face as he resumed painting her toes.

"I don't know. It's a huge truck! Are you listening to me buttface?"

He nodded, breathing in a deep breath. "I heard you, Shorty."

Alex leant back on the couch and sighed. "I wouldn't mind a Catella slipping into my window at night."

"I'm sure if you asked, Michaela would do it for you."

She glared at him. "Not _her_."

Leon laughed. "How much longer?"

"Six months, fifteen days, ten hours, and maybe five minutes," she listed off the top of her head. "I have the baby in four and a half months, fifteen days, ten hours, and twenty minutes. See a problem?"

"I'm sorry, Shorty."

"Don't be. Not your fault," she replied on a sigh. "Dom called."

He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it. "What? When?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder as if it didn't matter. "Dunno. A few weeks ago. Said he called me because he figured everyone else was being watched."

"And you didn't tell anybody?"

"No. Why should I? I'm willing to bet a hundred dollars he didn't want to tell me about Vince that day," she shot back.

Leon sighed, she had a point. He remembered the way Dom had shouted at him when he'd called Alex after Vince had been air-lifted to the hospital. If it'd been up to their bald-leader, Alex would never have known Vince was injured. "Touché," he murmured. "What'd he say?"

"I hung up on him like three times before he finally convinced me to stay on the line," she said looking quite pleased with herself. "Then, I bitched him out. I told him what had happened to Vince, to Jesse, and the whole damn mess he left behind. I told him he better watch his ass if he comes around here again because if Vince doesn't kick it, I will."

He laughed at her gall. He knew that if she were face to face with the muscular, bald-headed man she wouldn't have sad anything like that, but on the other side of the phone, with her hormones raging…Leon was willing to bet she'd given him quite an earful. "Where was he?"

"Somewhere in the Caribbean, I think. He started talkin' to me in Spanish and I could hear people speaking Spanish in the background that sounded Caribbean so…"

"Was Let with him?" he asked, capping the nail polish and setting it aside.

Alex frowned and shook her head. "No. He asked about her. I think he was hoping you brought her back here with you."

Leon felt guilty as he ran a hand through his hair. "I tried," he said. He knew he could've tried a little harder, but Letty had been set on waiting there for Dom. How was he supposed to know that Dom would never come for her? "That fucker just left her there."

"He left Vince in the hospital, Jess on the sidewalk, why are you surprised he left Letty? The pattern is pretty clear."

"He's not a bad guy, Lex. He makes bad choices when he's scared, but he's not a bad guy."

Her green eyes glared back at him, completely furious. "Don't you dare defend Dominic Toretto to me, Leon. He has done _nothing_ to prove to me he's a good guy. So far all he's done is insult me, hurt my family, and send my fiancée to jail. There is nothing that can redeem him in my eyes."

"Woah, woah, calm down, Shorty," Leon said holding his hands up. "I'm just sayin' that he didn't force any of us to do those heists. We all knew what we were doing when we were doing it. He didn't hold a gun to any of our heads."

She didn't want to fight with him. She really didn't. "Whatever, Lee," she muttered, standing and walking away from him.

"Wait!" he called out to her. She stopped and turned around, one eyebrow raised as she waited for him to continue. He sighed. "Letty called me."

Alex smirked. "And you didn't tell anyone?" she mocked.

Leon scowled at her. Now she was just being petty. "Cut out the attitude, Lex. I have a right to my own fucking opinion and just because you're pregnant, you don't get to act like a five year old brat when someone disagrees with you. No, I didn't tell anyone because Mia would start crying, Vince is in jail, Jess is pissed at me, you're dealing with your own shit, and Michaela won't fucking talk to me. But since you said Dom called, I'm telling you Let called."

She walked back over to the couch and sat next to him, her anger mostly forgotten. Leon was right. She was acting a bit like a brat. "What'd she want?"

"She's coming back here. Girl's on a mission to find Dom and figured she'd start here."

"When is she coming?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

Leon shrugged. "I don't know. She had to go before I could ask. She doesn't know about Jess or about V. She just asked if I knew where Dom was and when I said no, she said she's coming back to find out."

"Why? Why does she want to be back with him so much? I don't get it. He put her in this whole fucked up mess and the first chance she gets; she's going back to him!"

"Shorty, if Vince had run to get away from the cops…would you have stayed here?"

Alex bit her lip as she thought about the question. "No," she replied honestly. Leon gave her a look that said 'point made.' She frowned; his point was definitely not made. "Vince is not Dom, though."

"To tell you the truth, they're not much different," he said on a sigh. She looked almost offended at that comparison, but he just shrugged. "Think about it, Shorty. They're both these big tough guys, dedicated to their girls, loyal as hell, quick tempered…do I need to list more?"

She glared at him as she shook her head. "Vince is at least respectful."

"To _you_, maybe. He's not respectful to the race girls or to other guys."

Alex fought the urge to pout. Leon was right. "Whatever," she mumbled under her breath. "I'm gonna go take a nap."

Leon watched her walk away and sighed. He knew she was annoyed with him. To compare the person she loved most in the world to the one she disliked the most, was not his smartest idea. _Great, another woman pissed at me_, he though sullenly. He wandered back into his room and lay down on the bed. Dark clouds were visible from the window, making him frown. The weather report had predicted rain. _I hate the rain_, he decided as he watched the first drops hit the glass of the window.

The steady tap of the rain against the window pane lulled him to sleep. In his dreams, Michaela slipped through his window again. She was wearing one of his jerseys and her typical cut-offs and both were soaking wet from the rain. He felt a drop of water fall onto his face, waking him from the dream. And there she was, leaning over him with this strange look in her eyes.

He sat up, his face coming dangerously close to hers. "Mickey, what are you doing here?" he breathed.

Michaela blinked back the water that was slowly falling into her eyes from her wet hair. Without a word, she took his face in her hands and kissed him. It was a long and hard kiss, not the kind that told of love or feelings, but the kind that told him she wanted him. And wanted him now.

He knew he shouldn't, but he gave into her. Meeting her kisses with his own. He let his teeth drag over the smooth skin of her neck, smirking when she moaned in response. Then she pushed him back onto the bed, taking control as she usually did. Leaning over, she pressed a wet kiss just below his ear. Her breath was hot against his skin as she whispered, "I need you, Lee."

* * *

You like? Let me know in a review, please! :)

Thanks again for all your patience and support! I really do appreciate it!

~Love Ink


	57. Surprise Visits

The next chapter, as promised! :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**, **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, and **Rue Dawn **(Good luck house hunting!)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 58: Surprise Visits_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex was sitting in the kitchen a carton of ice cream in front of her. She hadn't bothered with serving herself a bowl; instead she was eating it straight from the carton. She'd just put a spoonful in her mouth when Michaela crept passed, heading towards the front door. The other girl stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Alex sitting there. A blush colored her cheeks as she scratched at her neck. Alex knew this move well; Vince did the same thing when he was feeling guilty or nervous. "I was just…I was with…" Michaela sputtered. "Fuck."

"Uh-huh," Alex said around the mouthful of ice cream. She pushed the carton towards her. "Ice cream?"

She sighed before grabbing a spoon and sitting across from her. She peered into the carton and raised an eyebrow. "Rocky Road? You don't like nuts."

She shrugged a shoulder. "It's a new pregnancy thing. I like all sorts of things I didn't like before. Ronnie bought me a jar of pickles and I ate every single freakin' one. They were delicious."

"Weird," Michaela mused, putting a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. "So? Where's my lecture?"

"I'm not going to lecture you," Alex said, grabbing the carton. "I'm not Mia."

Michaela looked at her skeptically. "Really?" she asked flatly.

"I will say this. You're playing with gas and its going to blow up in your face," she commented flippantly.

"I believe the expression is playing with fire," she corrected with a smirk.

Alex snorted and shook her head. "You're the fire. Jess decided it. In every relationship, there's fire and there's gas. Vince is fire in ours, you're fire in yours and Leon," she explained slowly. At Michaela's confused look, she shrugged. "Ask Jess. He explains it better."

"Whatever."

"Can I ask a question?"

"If you must," Michaela said on a sigh.

"Why?" Alex asked softly. "Why are you fuckin' with his head like this? I don't want to get all over-protective sister on you, but…please stop. It really, really messes him up."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I can't let him go, Lex," she said, a lump rising in her throat. "I try to be okay without him and I'm just…not. And Jem is great and he's sweet and nice but I just can't let Leon go."

"No one's asking you to."

"It can't work, Lex. Don't you see that?"

Alex shook her head. "What I see now is two people being stubborn. You about planning for the future, him about not planning for it. You're both freaking each other out in opposite ways. I'm going to tell you sort of the opposite of what I told Leon. Look at where you are right now. You're lost. You feel like something is missing because it is. _He_ is missing. So fuck what you want for the future and think about what you want now because it's him. _He_ makes you happy. So he doesn't want kids, who the fuck cares? You can borrow mine any time you want!"

Michaela smiled slightly at her offer. She felt a tear slip down her cheek. "The other day I found a note that he wrote me. He had hidden it in my sun visor. It was a silly, stupid note that just said I love you and he signed it _Prince Charming_. I crumpled it up and tossed it in the back seat. Today, I was cleaning it out and I saw it and I just…I needed him."

"So you decided to slip in his window for a quickie?"

She laughed, wiping at her cheeks. "Gosh, Lex, you make me sound so…slutty."

"It's a slutty move. Sorry," Alex replied bluntly.

Michaela was just about to answer back when a sleepy Ronnie meandered in, rubbing at his eyes. "The fuck you doin' here?" he asked Michaela.

"She needed to talk," Alex lied smoothly.

Michaela gave Alex a grateful look before pushing away from the table. She walked around it to give her friend a quick hug. "And now we're done talking. I'll see you all later. Night."

Ronnie watched her walk out before turning to Alex. "She fucked Leon, didn't she?"

Alex nodded exaggeratedly. "Oh. Yeah."

* * *

A few days later…

Leon hated going to Lompoc. Hated it with a passion. Mostly because he knew very well that he should be in there alongside Vince. After all, they'd committed the same crime, hadn't they? But he promised Alex he'd visit, so there he was sitting in the visiting center waiting for Vince feeling nervous as hell.

When Vince walked in with the guard, he looked surprised to see Leon there. "When I heard I had a visitor, I figured it was Mia," he said as he sat down across from his friend.

"Lex wanted me to visit," Leon explained with a shrug. "How you doin', brotha?"

"Fantastic," Vince answered sarcastically. "How's Tiny?"

He shrugged again. "Her mom, dad, and sister all came in early for the baby shower and they're driving her insane.'

Vince grunted in response. "When's the shower?"

"In like two weeks."

"Hmm. How's my sister?"

Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How was he supposed to tell Vince that the last time he'd seen Michaela was for a random quickie in the storage closet of the garage and she'd bounced without a word as soon as it was over? How was he supposed to tell Vince that Michaela pulled stunts like that all the time, but always went back to her stupid cowboy boyfriend after? "Dunno," he replied simply. "I haven't talked to her in days."

Vince nodded his head. "I heard about the break up."

"I figured. Things don't stay a secret for long in this family," Leon said before pausing. "You're not going to kick my ass are you? I swear it was a mutual thing."

He chuckled. "Yeah, let me hit you now and fuck up any chance of me getting out of this place early and being there for my fiancée when our first child is born. Not gonna happen. You're not worth it, sorry. How's the Maxima?"

Leon winced, he was hoping Vince wouldn't ask about his car. "The clutch will probably need to be repaired or replaced once you get out."

Vince narrowed his eyes at his friend suspiciously. "And why's that?"

"Because Alex has been driving it."

"You've been letting her drive my car?" he repeated, clearly not happy with that idea. "She can't drive a stick well. Believe me, I tried to teach her."

Leon ran a hand over his face. "I know. But you try telling a pregnant woman she can't drive her fiancée's car. I hid the keys from her and she almost gave me a black eye! She claims she's too big to hop up into the Jeep, but I think she just likes driving your car."

"If she's too big for the Jeep, she shouldn't be driving at all! What the hell, Lee? I thought you were taking care of her!"

"She's fine driving, V. Trust me. I brought that point up to her and she put her damn baby book in my face to show me how wrong I was and then she hit me with it."

Vince chuckled. He could picture his tiny fiancée doing just that to her pseudo-brother. She probably stamped her foot somewhere in her tirade too. "Fair enough, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair before muttering, "My poor car."

"It'll be fine. I'll order parts for the clutch when I get back and we'll install them once you're out," Leon reassured him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew his next sentence would likely piss Vince off. "Um…Anthony called Lex."

"Anthony" was Dom's middle name and their codename for him. It'd been long ago settled that middle names would be used in front of any officer if any member of the team was in trouble.

"What?" he asked, both surprised and a little angry. "Why the fuck would he call _her_? He's made his feelings about her crystal clear, and if he hurt her fuckin' feelings, he's in for a world of hurt next time I see him. What'd he say?"

"Well, she hung up the phone on him multiple times before he could get her to listen."

"That's my girl," Vince proclaimed proudly. "So?"

Leon shrugged. "He just wanted to know how we were and see where Rose was." Rose was of course Letty's middle name.

"How is…Rose?" he asked, his nose wrinkling in distaste. Letty hated her middle name and he could vividly recall the punches he got from her every time he called her "Leticia Rose."

"She's looking for Anthony, of course," he answered honestly. "She's comin' home, though. Figures she'll start here and work her way to him. You know, follow the trail of skanks. Someone here's gotta know somethin' right?"

Vince bobbed his head up and down. "Tell her to call up Hec. He'll know somethin' if Anthony went down south."

"Will do," he replied. "When's the hearing?"

"Next week. Don't tell Tiny, though. I don't want to disappoint her if it doesn't work out."

Leon smirked. "Why wouldn't it work out? You been fighting?"

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "Nah, but a lot can happen in a week. You never know, right?"

"Time," the guard said, approaching the table slowly.

"Later, brotha," Leon said on a nod. "Be good."

* * *

:) What'd you think? I couldn't think of a good middle name for Letty but Leticia Rose sounded so pretty and girly that I could just picture Let hitting the guys when they'd call her that... ;)

Review please! :D

~Love Ink


	58. Freedom

Sorry it took me awhile, I was trying to figure out how to speed things up a bit! :) This chapter is half filler half…not(?) does that make sense? ;)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, ** **Violet 201, Rue Dawn **(This chapter is extra long, just for you ;) Congrats on putting on offer down! Hope it works out!), **VincesDirtyGirl, 33**, **littleone999, matthotty101** (Wow, you're comment made my day! :D), and **RzSpeeder** (I've been thinking of how to work Brian in…we'll see if I can pull it off…)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 58: Freedom_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela watched Jem as he drove. His tan elbow hung out the open window while his long, rough fingers were draped haphazardly over the wheel as though he didn't know where else to put it. He looked bored. She frowned, Leon's hands were always busy when he drove. One would be tapping a beat on the wheel while the other caressed the stick shift. She loved how much he cared about his Skyline. It was never dirty or smelly. It was always pristine. Looking at the floor of Jem's car, she wrinkled her nose at the dirty contents; a mixture of hay and dirt covered the floor and an empty beer bottle was rolling around by her feet.

"Do you like driving, Jem?" Michaela asked curiously.

Jem shrugged a shoulder lazily. "Not particularly. Gets me where I need to go which is nice."

"What's the fastest you've driven?" she questioned, turning in her seat to face him.

He shrugged again. "Dunno. Maybe 80 or somethin'. I don't speed. You know me, sugar, I'm slow as a turtle. What about you? How fast have you gone?"

"Over 80, that's for sure," she mumbled, running a hand through her hair. "I've raced my car before."

"Is that so?" he asked, a smirk lifting up the corner of his lips. "Huh. You're a regular Speed devil, ain't ya?"

Michaela shrugged one shoulder. "Oh yeah," she said with a wicked smile. "Maybe I'll show you some time."

Jem nodded, though he didn't seem so enthused by the suggestion. He pulled into a parking spot in front of the mall and got out. Instead of going to open her door for her, he waited for her by the truck bed. She skipped around and took the arm he offered.

They sauntered into the busy mall, passing by different shops and stopping at some. She was standing at the pretzel stand waiting in line for one when Jem tapped her shoulder. "Ain't that your friend over there?" he asked nodding his head in the direction of the Disney store.

Michaela turned to find Ronnie with Alex's little sister, Cappie, and Leon looking at the stuffed animals there. Leon had one arm draped protectively around Cappie's shoulder, a stuffed Mickey Mouse in his hand.

"Yeah, that's Ronnie," she said, distractedly. She couldn't take her eyes off of Leon. It was startling to see him there, his green eyes shining with excitement as he picked different stuffed characters off the shelves and presented them to the thirteen year old girl.

"Is that Miss Allie's baby daddy he's with?"

She shook her head infinitesimally. Her eyes widened when she realized that Jem didn't know about Vince. Didn't know Vince even existed, let alone that he was her brother. "No. That's her brother," she answered. Before it'd been weird to refer to Leon and Alex as brother and sister, now it came naturally as though it were true.

"Well, we should go say hi," Jem stated.

He was off before she could stop him. She had to jog to catch up with him. "Jem, we should let them be. They're probably just having fun by themselves, they do that. C'mon, let's just go get a pretzel, I'm hungry," she said pulling on his arm.

But it was too late. He was already approaching Ronnie, a big friendly smile on his face. "Hey Ron," he exclaimed, clapping the other man on the shoulder.

Ronnie turned around and smiled. "Jeremiah! What a surprise! How's it going, cowboy?" They shook hands before Ron turned to Leon and Cappie. "This is Leon and Cappie, they're Lex's siblings. Guys, this is Jem, Mickey's boyfriend."

Michaela didn't miss the look that went between Ronnie and Leon. She fought the urge to kick Ronnie's shin; the last thing she wanted was for Jem to be at all suspicious of her relationship with Leon. Jem shook each of their hands in turn. "Cappie. That's an odd name for a young lady."

Cappie glanced at Michaela, a look on her face that asked '_is this guy for real_?'. Michaela shrugged in response and the young girl sighed. "Cappie is short for my real name."

"Capriana," Ronnie put in, knowing the question was coming next. Cappie kicked him hard in the shin; she hated her full name. He shrugged a shoulder in response. "What? That's your name!"

"I think it's a beautiful name, sweetheart," he said, giving her a wink.

Michaela glanced at Leon, watching him as he carried on a semi-decent conversation with Jem and Ron. His whole body was tight as he stood there, hands in his pockets, jaw working up and down on the toothpick in his mouth. He didn't add much to the conversation, just nodded along as though he was listening. She caught his eye briefly and felt her stomach flip flop at his dark, almost possessive look.

Cappie looked bored as hell. Her green eyes travelled over the merchandise as if searching for something, anything to distract her. Her posture was the same as Leon's except she was chewing a piece of gum instead of a toothpick. It was easy to believe they were related, even if they weren't. "Hey Lee?" Cappie asked, tugging on his arm. "Can we go now?"

"Am I boring you, Miss Cappie?" Jem asked, a teasing smile on his face.

She looked at him and nodded. "Actually…" she started making Michaela wince. Cappie was a younger version of herself, and she knew what'd she say in a situation like that. "You are, Mr. Rhinestone Cowboy. What are you playing at with that cowboy hat? You're in the heart of Los Angeles, how much of a ranch can you really have?"

Leon smirked proudly, not bothering to hide his smile while Ronnie looked like he was fighting back a laugh as he chastized the younger girl. "Cappie! You can't say those things!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry," she replied flatly, the look on her face anything but apologetic."Lee, can we go to the music store or something?"

A shit-eating grin spread across Leon's face as he nodded. "Sure. Let's go, Cap."

"Nice meeting you, Leon," Jem called out to him before he could walk away.

Leon gave him a brief nod before turning away and slinging an arm around Cappie's shoulders. She looked up at him and said, "You're a hell of a lot better than him, bro."

His hearty chuckle in response made Michaela's heart skip a beat. Jem took his eyes off of Ronnie and gave her a look that meant they'd talk about it later. Sighing, she waved goodbye to Leon and Cappie. Ronnie gave Jem an apologetic look. "Sorry about that. She has no censor."

Jem waved off his apology. "She's a pistol that one," he commented on a laugh.

"You're telling me," Ronnie replied with a chuckle. The three stood there in an awkward silence for while before he clapped his hands together. "I should go catch up with them. Nice seeing you two."

Michaela and Jem said goodbye. Once he was out of sight, Jem turned to her, one eyebrow raised. "What was that about?" he asked.

"Not a clue," she said with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. "Cappie's a little kid. She doesn't know what she's talking about."

"She called me Rhinestone Cowboy, she ain't dumb, pumpkin," he said, shaking his head. "In fact, I'd venture to say she's pretty bright to pull an old school reference like that out of her little behind."

Michaela fought the urge to tell him not to call her that. She wasn't a big fan of food nicknames like "pumpkin" and "cupcake", though Jem used them pretty frequently. "I didn't say she was dumb," she denied, folding her arms across her chest. "I said she didn't know what she was talking about. C'mon, let's go get a pretzel. I'm hungry."

Jem gave her a look that said he didn't believe her, but he let it slide anyway. "All righty. Let's go."

Leon was still chuckling at Cappie's comments as they walked away. He ruffled her hair lovingly. "That was awesome, Cap."

Cappie grinned up at him, her eyes shining with adoration; it hadn't taken her long to warm up to Leon. She'd heard about him countless times from her older sister, so when she actually met him, it was like meeting a long lost family member. "What? I was right," she said with an arrogant shrug that was so like her older sister's, it was scary. "I mean, are there any ranches here?"

"There's at least one. His," Leon answered on a frown.

"Really?" She almost looked disappointed. "Well, he doesn't have to go around dressed the part. How lame is that? My sister surfs and she doesn't go around wearing pucca shells and saying "dude" all the time."

"Good point."

Cappie chewed on her bubble gum pensively. "So where's Vince?"

"Lex didn't tell you?" he questioned, slightly surprised.

She shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "I'm scared to ask her. I heard her crying on the phone a few times with the _padres_. I don't like hearing her cry so I haven't asked her and she knows it makes her cry and I don't like it, so she hasn't told me. We respect each other like that." (Parents)

He laughed at her logic and nodded. "Vince is…he's in jail right now."

"Why?"

"Cause he did something bad," Leon replied vaguely. "I'm surprised your parents haven't freaked out yet."

"Why would they freak out? My sister Lena married a poor filmmaker who's been in jail a few times because he got caught with drugs. My dad paid to put him in rehab. Now Rem's clean, he's making buttloads of money by directing music videos, and he's paid my dad back every cent. Dad's big into second chances."

"Why'd he do it?"

"Lena brought Remy around when they first started dating and Daddy liked him. He always goes with his gut instinct so he got him some help and Remy turned out to be awesome," she explained. "When we went to the Giants game over here, Daddy got real close to Vince. He likes him, so unless V royally messes something up like hits Lex or abandons her or something huge, Vince is good."

He nodded. "Cool."

"So what's Jesse's deal?" Cappie asked, changing the subject.

Leon grinned and shook his head at her. He knew the younger girl had a crush on his best friend. That question sealed it. Ruffling her hair, he chuckled. "You're too young for him, kid," he said with a smirk. "He doesn't deserve you anyway."

* * *

_The next day..._

Alex watched her Mom and Mia from her place at the kitchen table. They were running around the backyard decorating it in pink, blue, and green for the baby shower that was starting in a few hours. Her loneliness started to seep in. Sure, she was surrounded by people who loved her, but a part of her was missing and it made her feel lonely. She sniffed, trying to keep herself together. As if sensing her distress, the baby in her belly gave her a small kick. She laughed slightly, wiping at her eyes. "I know, Grem. It's silly to be sad. Papi will be home soon," she said, speaking softly to her unborn baby.

Michaela rushed through the kitchen, rifling through her purse as she went. Alex raised an eyebrow at her. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"If I have to put up one more streamer, I'm going to hang myself with them," Michaela replied on a frustrated sigh. "And because of this, Mia's sending me on an alcohol run. Want to join?"

Alex smirked. "Nah, I'm pretty sure there's something wrong about a pregnant woman going on an alcohol run."

"True, true," Michaela said, leaning over and kissing her temple. "Do you have the keys to the Maxima? My car's check engine light came on when I drove over here and I really don't want to drive it."

"Just take the Jeep," she replied, waving a hand at her. "I don't mind."

"Lex, I hate that freakin' Jeep. I can't drive it, you know that. Just give me the keys to the Max. My brother won't mind, I swear," Michaela pushed, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

Sighing, Alex pushed back from the table and grabbed her keys. "If you so much as scratch his car, I will kill you."

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. I've driven his car plenty of times," she assured her friend as she headed to the door. "Be good while I'm gone, 'kay?"

Alex nodded and waved. "See ya," she said as she sat down again at the table, a sad look on her face.

Michaela felt her heart drop when she saw how sad her friend looked. Frowning, she headed toward Vince's car. As she was messing with the seat, she locked eyes with Leon who was grabbing a bottle of vodka out of his backseat. The corner of his mouth lifted in a sexy smirk, creating a stampede of butterflies in her stomach. "Escaping?" he asked, strutting over to her car.

During the past couple of weeks, they had started talking again. It was easy to fall into being friend again…friends who occasionally slept with each other despite the fact that she had a boyfriend. "Something like that," she replied with a shrug. "Don't bring that in. I told Lex I was going on an alcohol run. I don't want her getting suspicious since she's on house arrest."

Leon nodded. "Fair enough. How's she doing?"

"She's moping."

"Mmm," he grunted with a frown.

The concern in his eyes made her heart flip-flop. Before, his relationship with Alex had bugged her; she'd even been jealous for awhile, but now…she loved seeing the way he took care of her. "Aren't Angie and the kids comin' in today?"

"They'll be here in time for the shower," he replied, nodding his head. "Aren't guys not supposed to come to these things?"

Michaela grinned. "Yeah, but Alex said all her best friends were guys so it was either let them come or no baby shower. You should've heard Mia complain."

"I'm glad I didn't," he said on a chuckle. "I better get in there and help out. Be careful with that car. I can't believe Shorty gave you the keys."

"I'm very persuasive," Michaela said waggling her eyebrows at him suggestively.

He snorted. "Whatever. The gearbox is shot so watch out."

"I will. Bye, Lee."

"Bye, Micks. Be safe."

She nodded, a lump forming in her throat as she drove off. _Be safe_. He'd said those words to her just before the heists. Before everything went to hell. Tears streamed down her face as she drove down the highway. She missed him. Missed him more than anything. What she was doing to Jem wasn't fair. He didn't deserve to be cheated on. He was such a nice, genuine guy. He was getting suspicious though. More than once, he'd questioned where she was going when she left his house after a date as though he knew she wasn't going home.

Sighing, she pressed on the gas just a little faster. Most of the time, she'd been able to convince him she was going to her house, but the night before, he hadn't been convinced. Luckily, she'd seen his huge truck following her and drove to the shop to visit Mia instead of to the garage to hook up with Leon. She'd parked, stormed out of the car, and chewed him out for it. It'd been their first and only fight.

And he hadn't even fought her! He'd just backed down and admitted he was wrong, even when she was screaming her head off at him. Leon would never have stood for that. He would've yelled right back, not let her walk right all over him. She needed someone who would stand up for herself, that she knew. She'd been told that her entire life. Mr. Toretto used to shake his head at her and mumble, "Whatever man settles down with you, _Tesoro_, must have a back bone made of iron and balls of steel or you'll kill him." (Treasure in Spanish)

Michaela stopped abruptly in front of the big cement building and frowned; she didn't want to kill Jem. Her eyes scanned the parking lot before they fell on a scruffy figure leaning against a lamp post looking anything but happy. "Hey brother," she said, stepping out of the car, a sheepish look on her face.

"You're late," Vince grunted as he headed towards her, a frown on his face. The frown was gone as soon as she was within arm's reach. "How you doin', pretty girl?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

She sighed as she squeezed him back. Tears filled her eyes as she buried her face into his strong chest. She hadn't realized just how much she missed him. "I'm good," she sniffled, pulling back to look up at his scruffy face. "How you doing?"

He gave her a smile and shrugged a shoulder. "It's good to be out. Let's go see my girl."

* * *

Did you love it? Hate it? Let me know! I love love LOVE your feedback! Good OR bad!:)

~Love Ink


	59. Coming Home

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **Violet 201, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, matthotty101, GallagherGirl4Evah, Rue Dawn **(Don't apologize! I love your reviews regardless of length!:) Good luck at school!), **Bindie, xXBXx, littleone999** (Cappie was really fun to write, I'm glad you liked her!), **nathansprincess **(LOVED your suggestion…you just might see that coming up soon!), and **RzSpeeder**! Ya'll are totally awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie.

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 59: Coming Home_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela studied her brother as he readjusted the driver's seat of the Maxima. After fifteen minutes, he seemed to have gotten it just right. Vince started the car and the engine came to life with a roar. Sighing happily, his shoulders relaxed as he sunk back into his bucket seat. "I missed you, girl," he murmured to his car, his long fingers stroking over the wheel before he reached for the gear stick.

He pulled out with a squeal of his tires and took off down the highway. "Transmission's messed up," he muttered to himself. "Tiny been driving her a lot?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes I catch her just sitting in here. I think she likes that it smells like you. Lee already ordered new parts."

"How's he doing?"

"I dunno," she answered on a shrug. "Fine, I guess."

Vince shook his head, hiding a laugh. "That was a really fucked up thing you did to him."

"Let us not talk about fucked up, Mr. I-don't-give-my-pregnant-fiancée-visiting-rights. She cried for _months_, V. Months."

He ran a hand through his hair, a guilty look on his face. "I would never have gotten out early if she came to visit, Mickey. It was hard enough to deal with guys sayin' shit about Mia without kickin' their asses. Imagine if they'd said it about my fiancée. I would've killed someone. Then I'd be in there for a hell of a lot longer."

"Fair enough, but on top of that, your letters sucked too. Were you trying to make her cry?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," he muttered. "I just didn't know what to say. How's the Gremlin?"

Michaela shrugged a shoulder. "Fine. It kicks which is weird. I'm sure Mia has shown you the sonograms and stuff. It looks less like an alien every day."

He chuckled. "That's good to hear. We know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"Are you kidding?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. "Hell no! Mia and Alex spend _hours_ fighting over it. Mia wants to know, but Alex doesn't think its right to find out without you there and then Mia insists that you're not even going to be here when it's born so it doesn't matter, which just makes Lex cry and it's this whole big fiasco.

"Well, I'm going to be there with more than enough time to see it."

Michaela smirked mischievously. "You're going to scare the shit out of her."

Vince nodded, excitement coursing through his veins as their surroundings started to become familiar. His heart was in overdrive by the time they finally reached Alex's house. He got out of the car and just stared at the familiar beachside house. "Welcome home," Michaela said, stretching her arms out. "Party's in the back. That's where she'll be." He didn't move to follow her. "You comin'?" she questioned, turning around to face him.

Shrugging a shoulder, he mumbled, "Guess so." He didn't want to walk into the huge crowd that was sure to be in the backyard. He didn't care about them. There was only one person he wanted to see at the moment.

He paused in the kitchen, watching Michaela as she headed out into the crowd of people. His eyes scanned the party, observing the familiar faces and the newer ones. Mia was by the drinks, giving Ronnie a flirtatious grin as he gestured wildly around him. Leon had a huge squirt gun in his arms and a little mo-hawked boy clinging to his back. It was clear they were chasing after the two pre-teen girls and Alex's little sister, Cappie, each girl equipped with equally big squirt guns. Michaela was watching the interactions secretively while she stood next to a man in a cowboy hat that Vince had never seen before. There was no mistaking what the look in her eyes meant; that look of love was one Vince had only seen when she looked at Leon. He spotted Alex's dad standing next to three women he assumed were her older sisters and her mother, though he had yet to meet them.

And then he found her. He remembered her being beautiful, but not like this. She looked radiant. Brightly colored ribbons were woven into her dark hair which was plaited in an intricate French-braid that hung down her back, something he was sure Mia had done. She was wearing a long, flowing tie-dyed lime green, blue, and white dress that just barely hit the top of her bare feet and showed off just enough of her larger chest. Before he'd left, it'd been almost impossible to tell she was pregnant, now she was huge. She was talking to Fisher, a sad look in her eyes that did not match the fake smile on her face.

Alex scanned the crowd. She could feel his presence. She didn't know what it was or how, but she could feel him there. It was an absurd thing, considering he was miles away in prison, but she could feel him there as if he was standing right behind her. Shaking her head, she mentally laughed at herself for being silly. Of course he wasn't there, he had six months left. She blamed the feeling on her hormones, as she always did.

"Phone, Lex," Michaela said, holding the house phone out to her.

"Thanks," Alex murmured taking the phone. She smiled despite her sad mood; she knew what phone calls to the house phone usually meant. Maybe that's why she'd sensed his presence before, because he was on the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Tiny," Vince's gruff voice answered in response, sending shivers down her spine. "How's the shower? You havin' fun?"

Tears clouded her vision as they usually did when he called. Fisher took this as his cue to leave. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before heading towards her parents. Wiping at her eyes she shrugged a shoulder. "Mia went over the top on this one, big guy. You should see it."

"She got balloons in your favorite colors…and pink."

"Mm-hmm. Jeep green and Maxima blue. The pink is for the girl she insists we're having," she answered, wondering how he knew. She rubbed her hand over her belly. "God, baby, I look like a whale."

He chuckled in response. "You're beautiful."

Alex raised an eyebrow, surveying the party once again. He sounded so sure, like he could see her. "Thanks, but you would say that if I was wearing a paper bag."

"Nah, tie dye looks good on you, Tiny."

"How do you…did Mia tell you?"

His light laugh was her only response. "You might want to put shoes on though. I know barefoot and pregnant is a saying but it's not a rule."

She looked down at her bare feet, wriggling them against the wood of the deck. Her green eyes swept over the party one final time, looking for him. How could he know so much? "I'm not bare foot," she lied easily.

"Liar. You got green nail polish on 'em. It's cute."

Alex was really confused now. How much detail had Mia gone into the last time she saw him? Meandering into the house, she saw the front door swing shut. Curiously, she wandered toward it, wondering who was trying to escape early. "Leon painted them, actually, since I can't reach now," she said with a laugh. "He's getting pretty good at it."

Vince laughed loudly at that one, so loud she swore she could hear it. As she stepped onto the front porch, her eyes swept over the front yard, stopping when she saw the Maxima. Then she saw him, leaning against the passenger door as though he'd never left. She let the phone fall out of her hand before she rushed at him.

He pushed off the car and caught her just as she launched herself at him, lifting her feet off the ground and spinning her around. She buried her face into his neck, clinging to him as tightly as she could with her baby bump between them. He could feel hot tears against his skin and squeezed her tighter. "You're here," she finally managed to choke out. "You're really here."

He turned his nose into her hair, inhaling her warm, summery scent. God, he'd missed her. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he set her back down on her feet. She grabbed his face in her hands, rolling up on the balls of her feet to press a soft, sweet kiss to his lips. He deepened the kiss, hungry for more, his hands tangling in her hair as he did so.

Alex giggled as she pulled away, her thumbs stroking over his scruffy cheeks. "How…" she asked, her eyes sparkling with happy tears.

Vince cut her off with a quick kiss. "Surprise."

She hit him lightly, trying to scowl but failing miserably; she could not stop smiling. "How come you didn't tell me!"

"I wanted to surprise you, Tiny," he said on a laugh. His long, calloused fingers gently brushed away her tears before he leant forward and caught her lips in another kiss. After spending almost six months without her kisses, he couldn't get enough of them. His hands settled on her pregnant belly. "You're beautiful," he breathed, dipping his head to kiss her once more.

A light blush colored her cheeks as she looped her arms around his neck. "And you're…huge!" she exclaimed, her hands sliding down his muscular arms. He'd always had big muscles, but now they seemed even larger.

He grinned bashfully. "Not much to do in there but lift weights," he explained on a shrug. "And miss you and the baby of course."

"We've missed you too," she replied with a bright smile. Once again she pushed up on her toes and caught his lips in a kiss.

* * *

Michaela watched them from the window of the living room. She had to get away from Jem who was currently deep in conversation with Eddie, a combination she could not stand. As she watched the couple, she felt she was intruding on a private moment. It was obvious just how much they loved each other. They couldn't keep their hands off each other in a way that was more sweet than sexual. Alex would touch his face, Vince would gently caress her belly, and she would stand on her toes just to kiss him mid-sentence. And the smiles. Their smiles were huge; bigger than Michaela had ever seen on either of their faces.

She sighed longingly. That was what she wanted. She wanted to be so loved by someone that they couldn't bear to be away from her. That they felt it necessary to touch her in some way at all times.

Leon had been like that. When they were together, he'd always find innocent ways to touch her. Whether it was a hand on the small of her back while they talked, the times she'd feel his ankle grazing against hers under the dinner table, or her favorite: when he would hook his pink around hers as they walked. She loved that.

She turned and walked back towards the backyard. Maybe she'd been wrong about her dream. Maybe her dream wasn't to get married and have kids. Maybe her dream was just Leon. Plain and simple. It was becoming clear that she couldn't be without him, so any relationship she had would always be untrue to herself and unfair to the guy. There would always be something missing.

"Thinking about him?" a voice questioned, interrupting her thoughts.

Michaela spun around to find Ronnie leaning against the fridge, a Corona dangling from his tan fingers. "No, why would I be thinking about Leon?" she asked defensively.

He smirked. "Funny thing is…I wasn't asking about Lee."

Her eyes widened; she'd been caught. "Fuck."

Shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal, Ronnie stated, "The heart wants what it wants."

"I don't want Leon," she denied quickly. "I'm over it. He can't give me what I want."

"Can Jem? I mean, don't get me wrong, he's cool and all but…he's no Leon."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Damn him for saying what she was thinking. "He's fine. I'm happy with him."

He snorted derisively. "What a joke! I know you want Leon, Michaela. I've heard you sneaking into his bedroom. You're not a very good sneaker. You love him."

"Do not. I like Jem now."

"But you don't love him."

"Shut the fuck up, Ronnie."

He shrugged off her insult. "Look. You have two choices. Jem or Leon. Let's flip a coin, all right? Heads, you stay with Jem, tails you get your head out of your ass and go for Leon."

"Don't be stupid."

"Hey, just trust, all right?" he said with a smirk. He tossed the coin in the air, catching it gracefully in his other hand just before it hit the ground and slapping it on top of his hand.

Michaela raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"What side are you hoping for?" he asked, a cheeky grin on his face as her eyes narrowed in response. "There's your answer, girly."

She punched his arm hard. "Fuck you, Ronnie. What the hell do you know?" she cursed at him before heading to the party.

Ronnie watched her go while he rubbed at his arm, a scowl on his face. "That worked a hell of a lot better with Alex," he mused to himself.

* * *

"Take a shower, big guy," Alex said, squeezing his hand. He'd taken her hand in his as they headed into the house and she hadn't let go of it yet. She was worried if she let go, he might disappear. "Relax a bit."

Vince glanced reluctantly from the bathroom to her. He wasn't ready to be away from her. "Join me?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Mia will kill me if I ruin my hair. She took forever to do it."

He leant over and kissed her quickly before going to the shower. After a fast shower, he was surprised to find her still lying on their bed, waiting for him. "You could've gone back out there, Tiny."

She sat up, playing with the end of her braid feeling slightly embarrassed about her reason for staying. "I'm scared you're going to disappear on me," she admitted quietly. "It's too good to be true. You have another six months, big guy."

He smiled proudly and shrugged a shoulder. "I was a good boy so they let me out earlier on good behavior. It was hard as hell, but I did it." He took her chin into his hand, lifting it so he could kiss her again before he headed towards the dresser. He pulled on a nice pair of jeans, a black beater, and a blue button up shirt over it. The shirt was significantly tighter around his arm than he remembered, but he could deal with that.

He started to button the shirt up, but her small fingers stopped him and unbuttoned it again. It was clear she liked it better unbuttoned. "Thank you," she said softly. Vince shrugged again, dipping his head to catch her lips in a soft kiss.

"You're welcome," he said, his gruff voice sending shivers down her spine.

Her hands reached for his, taking them and placing them on her stomach. "Grem's going crazy."

He felt a soft movement against his hand and his eyes widened. "Was that…"

"Grem wants to say hi too," she said with a small grin. "Welcome back, Papi."

He grinned at his new name. "It's good to be home."

* * *

What'd you think? I love reading your thoughts and suggestions so leave a few for me in a review! :)

~Love Ink


	60. Goodbye for Now

This is one long chapter. 11 pages. YAY! :)

I was considering cutting it in half but I figured, why not post the whole thing? I haven't uploaded in awhile and you readers are just so awesome!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **Anonymous**, **Trickster707, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Violet201, nathansprincess **(I used your idea in this chapter! Hope it's to your liking!), **D274 **(It makes sense and will be ending soon, I promise!), **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **VincesDirtyGirl**, **Rue Dawn, littleone999, **and . You guys are all truly amazing and I thank you for taking the time to write down your thoughts/ideas/comments, etc. :)

I'm currently trying to figure out how to work Dom, Let, and Brian back into the story. I might just wait to see if I can try and tie in the fourth movie for a third story and have those three come back…hmm…Any ideas/thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Ronnie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 60: Goodbye for Now_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela stood next to the food table still fuming over Ronnie's little trick. Who was he to say what she was feeling? What she should do? She didn't want to go back with Leon. It wouldn't work. He'd just hurt her again. "You all right there?" a smooth voice asked.

She looked up to find Eddie staring back at her, a mildly concerned look on his face. "I'm fine,"

"What else is new?" he questioned on a chuckle. "I don't think we've formally met. I'm Eddie."

"Michaela," she said shaking his hand. "I'm Vince's sister."

"Lucky you," he muttered, his dislike for Vince showing.

Michaela raised her eyebrow at him. "Are you still bitter over that? Get over it, man. Move on."

Eddie sighed and nodded. His hazel eyes swept over the party, landing on where Alex was with Vince talking to her parents. His arm was around her shoulders and her around his waist. Every so often, she'd look up at him with an adoring look in her bright green eyes and Vince would lean over to press a kiss to the crown of her head. "I know," he breathed. "It's not easy to let someone go."

"I hear ya," Michaela murmured. She was surprised by the genuine emotion she found in Eddie's eyes. It was clear he was actually hurting from what had happened so long ago. She'd written him off as an asshole, but now she wasn't so sure. "I'm surprised you're here. Aren't you supposed to be on tour?"

"Just finished the European leg," he answered on a nod. "We're starting the American leg in a few weeks."

"Fun stuff."

He nodded in agreement. "We have a good time. It's kind of awkward with Fish since Ron and Lexi are gone. Those three are inseparable, but we make do."

"Mickey! Eddie! So glad you two have met," Fisher exclaimed cutting into the conversation as if on cue. He slung an arm around each other their necks and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Now, Michaela I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"You see, I don't want to go back on tour," he started slowly, "but the group desperately needs a choreographer at all times because these boys cannot dance to save their lives. And since you're done with the whole 'Leon' thing and are running our dance studio…why don't we just switch places?"

Michaela raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You don't do ballet."

"I do so," Fisher corrected on a nod. "I've been…"

"Classically trained in all the dance variations there is to know and I'm quite good at each one," Eddie finished in a mock British accent, his tone indicating that this was not the first time he'd heard Fisher's speech.

Fisher glared at him. "Thank you, Eduardo. Now that _that's_ been clarified, what do you think? Do we have a deal?"

* * *

After everyone from the baby shower had gone home, Mia, Michaela, and Alex were left inside while Jesse, Ronnie, Vince, and Leon caught up over beers outside. Michaela couldn't help but smile when she caught Alex's quick glances at Vince. She couldn't keep her eyes off him. His arrival into the backyard hadn't been such a big fuss. No one really knew he'd ever been gone except Alex's family and the rest of the team. Jesse and Leon didn't make a big deal of it; just greeted him with a cold Corona and a man-hug. It was the kind of welcome Vince had wanted.

"You happy he's home?" Michaela asked, smiling when Alex looked back at her, a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah," Alex replied on a happy sigh. "Best surprise ever."

Michaela grinned. "Good. I talked to Eddie."

"He was doing a lot better than the last time I talked to him. It was almost like he was back to the old Eddie," she admitted with a soft smile. Though she'd long ago stopped loving Eddie romantically, she'd always love him like a friend. She had been happy to see that he was somewhat back to normal. His big ego had been deflated and the old Eddie was starting to shine through. "What'd he say?"

"Nothing much, but Fisher wants me to take his place on tour with them."

Mia dropped the plate in her hand. "What? Are you serious? You said no, right?"

Michaela shrugged a shoulder. "What do I got to lose? There's no reason for me to stay here. And going on tour is fun! Right, Lex?"

Alex nodded. "Of course. You travel the nation and see all sorts of stuff. It's a good escape," she explained, choosing her words wisely.

"I'm not escaping," Michaela corrected, catching Alex's meaning. "I just want something new. They leave next week."

"You'll miss the baby," Mia pointed out.

"Don't stay because of that," Alex put in quickly. "The baby will be around for a long time, Mickey. A few months isn't going to change anything. If you want to go, go."

Michaela put the last dish in the dishwasher and sat down. Her eyes drifted toward the window where she could see Leon cracking up with the boys, a cigarette hanging out the corner of his mouth. It'd be nice to be away from him for a few months and get her thoughts straightened out. "I want to go. I'm gonna go."

* * *

A week later…

"Tiny, you ready to go?" Vince asked as he rounded the corner into their room. He stopped in doorway when he saw the mess she'd made. She was lying flat on her back on the bed in just a bra and his sweats. Clothes covered every surface of the bedroom. She was supposed to have been getting ready for Michaela's going away party, but it seemed she hadn't made much progress. "You're not ready," he observed.

"I'm not going," she said stubbornly.

"Why not?"

She sighed again. "Because nothing fits me." His eyes fell on her big, round belly and he laughed. She glared at him. "Don't laugh, this is all your fault."

He raised an eyebrow, unhitching himself from the doorway to walk over to her. "My fault?" he repeated leaning over her.

"Yes," she said curtly, folding her arms across her chest as she looked up at him. "If it wasn't for you and your stupid penis, I would have clothes that fit and made me look sexy instead of like a big, huge whale."

"I believe looking sexy is what put you in this whole situation," he said with a grin as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

She pouted. "Well, I don't look sexy anymore."

He shook his head at her, scooting closer to her. "Liar," he said dropping a kiss onto her round belly. "I think you're incredibly sexy," he murmured, punctuating his words with opened mouthed kisses on her stomach.

Alex smiled at him, tangling her hands through his messy hair. "You go. I'll stay here and hang out."

"Not happening, Tiny. You're going. I need someone to keep me from punching Freddie."

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "It's Eddie. I know you know that."

He didn't answer, just rolled off the bed and stood up. He picked up a blue halter dress with paisley designs all over it off the ground. "Wear this."

She sat up and reached out an arm to grab the fabric. "I forgot I had this. Mia went on a shopping spree at the maternity store. Now find me shoes."

Vince chuckled, toeing away the clothes from the ground in an attempt to look for shoes. "Flip-flops," he said, tossing a pretty pair with jewels on them at her feet. "Done."

"I love you. You know that?"

He leant over and caught her lips in a sweet kiss, his large hand settling on her big belly. "I had a feeling." He watched as she pulled off the sweats, revealing a lacy pair of boy short underwear. Stepping up behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. "You're beautiful."

She giggled as he started trailing kisses down her neck, nipping at the soft skin there. It was still shocking to her that he was attracted to her even though she was huge. Leaning into him, she sighed happily. She'd be content to stay like that forever. "I have to get dressed, big guy."

Vince sighed into her neck and reluctantly stepped away from her. He watched her slip the dress over her head and pulled the ties up around her neck. Taking that as a hint, he deftly tied the strings into a bow before kissing the base of her neck.

She looked at their reflection in the mirror, studying his face. There was something off about him and she had a feeling it had to do with his sister. Reaching her arm over her shoulder, she gently stroked his scruffy cheek. "You going to be okay, Papi?"

Vince knew what she was referring to. "She's gone away for longer stretches of time," he said on a shrug. He could tell she wasn't buying it. "I just…I think she's leaving for the wrong reasons, you know? She didn't even tell Lee yet."

She blinked in disbelief, shaking her head. "She what?" she exclaimed, turning around to look at Vince. "She promised me she would!"

"Woah, there, Tiny. Calm down!"

Alex shook her head incredulously. "No! This isn't fair to Leon! If he goes to this party and finds out there, he is going to explode! Is she fucking kidding? This is ridiculous!"

"Michaela hates confrontation, Tiny. She ain't gonna tell him shit," he commented, unaware of how angry she was.

"She needs to grow the fuck up and tell him like the woman she is! She wants kids, she wants a family, and all this shit but she acts like a child!" Alex seethed, pacing the room. "This is going to _break_ Leon! She's fucked with my brother enough!"

That put Vince on the defensive. Alex may be his wife, but no one talked about his little sister like that. "Don't talk about her like that," he said, trying his best to stay calm. "She's not perfect."

"I'm not asking her to be! How would you react if I left without telling you?" she asked, turning the tables on him.

He paused, remembering how the moment she'd walked up to his hospital bed and told him she'd be leaving. Told him she wasn't sure she'd be back. It'd hit him like a ton of bricks and hurt like hell, but it would've hurt even more if she had taken the coward's way out and left while he was sleeping. It would've made him feel like she didn't care, like she wasn't worth his time. "Not well," he answered finally.

"You think Lee will react any better?"

"Calm down, Tiny," he repeated. "Just give it a rest. He'll be fine. He's not even your real brother."

She stopped pacing and her eyes zeroed in on him, blazing with an angry green fire. "When are you people going to stop throwing that in our faces! Don't you call Dom and Mia your brother and sister? You guys aren't related, yet somehow no one _ever_ corrects you!"

"That's different…"

"Right because Leon actually treats me like a sister. He takes care of me and didn't abandon me in my time of need and let me take responsibility for his actions like someone I know…"

Vince rubbed a hand over his face. He knew that comment was going to lead him into trouble. "Don't bring Dom into this," he said softly. "You don't know him."

"I don't _want_ to know him!" she yelled, beyond frustrated. "And _he _has nothing to do with anything! I'm just saying that your sister is acting stupid and treating my brother like shit and now _I _have to deal with it! Do you know how hard that's going to be?"

"My sister isn't stupid!" he exclaimed, missing the point of what she said.

"She's acting like it!"

He shook his head. "Just because you don't agree with what she's doing…"

"What she's doing is _wrong_!" Alex insisted.

"Whatever, Alex," Vince muttered as he headed towards the door. "Let's go. We're going to be late."

She shook her head. "No. I'm not going anywhere," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm staying here to warn Lee what he's going into!"

"He's fine! He's a big boy! Leave him alone!" he shouted, annoyed with her stubbornness. "Let's go!"

"If you want to go, _go_!"

"Alexandra Teresa Salvatore, if you don't come with me right now, I will…"

"Vincent Cash Catella, if you finish that sentence you're in for a world of hurt," she stated curtly.

He could feel the tension between them. They'd never really fought before, not like this. Usually when they fought, it was over something insignificant or stupid. He knew his options were to apologize or leave before he said something he'd regret later. He had too much pride to apologize, so he decided he'd get out while he still could. "Fine! I'm leaving!" he shouted, turning and stalking out of the room.

"Good! Go!" she shouted after him, grabbing the closest article of clothing and throwing it at his back. She heard the front door slam before he peeled out of the driveway and then everything was silent.

Five minutes later, Leon walked through the door to find Alex sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest, a blank look on her face. She seemed to be a million miles away as she ate from the carton of ice cream in her lap. "Hey Space cadet!"

She shook herself from her thoughts. "Hmm?"

"Shouldn't you be somewhere?"

"Yeah," she said distractedly, her head bobbing up and down. "I was waiting for you."

Leon raised an eyebrow. Now that Vince was home, it was rare the couple was ever apart. "Why?"

Alex shrugged a shoulder. "Do you know why Michaela's having a barbeque?"

He shook his head. "No idea. She just called and told me where to be."

"She's leaving, Lee," she stated softly, her green eyes studying his face. "She's taking Fisher's place on tour."

Leon blinked as he processes the words. "Fuck." He shook his head and threw himself into the seat next to her.

"Yeah," she agreed handing him the spoon and holding the carton out to him. He dove right in.

"She wasn't going to tell me?" he asked, around a bite of ice cream.

"Guess not."

He swallowed his ice cream before sighing. "Whatever. I'm so done with this shit. It's ridiculous. All of it. Maybe her leaving is the best thing for me."

Alex shrugged. "You're not mad?"

"I give up being mad. I give up trying to figure her out. This is typical Michaela bull shit. I'm not mad. I'm just...done," he explained as he angled the carton towards her so she could get a spoonful of the minty green ice cream. "I'm surprised Vince isn't here."

"We had a fight. He decided to go by himself."

Leon bobbed his head up and down. "What'd you fight about?"

She shrugged again. "I said some choice things about his sister and he threw the fact that you weren't really my brother in my face and so I told him Dom was a shitty brother and you know…stuff escalated from there."

"Huh. You still want to go to the party?"

"I probably should. I don't want problems with Mickey."

He sighed, leaning over to kiss her temple before standing from the couch. "Guess I better change then."

"Go for it."

"This fight with Vince…it's not my fault, right?"

Alex shook her head quickly. "Nah, it's mine. I shouldn't have said those things. I'm just…pregnant and I exaggerate everything. I think it's because I'm feeling for two now."

"And the baby is mad because Mickey didn't tell me?"

"Oh, most certainly. Grem loves his Uncle Leon."

Leon chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Love you too, Grem."

* * *

Mia couldn't help but stare at Ronnie's muscular shoulders. Inked across them was an intricate tattoo of the San Francisco skyline, complete with the Golden Gate Bridge. Every inch of the design fit perfectly along the planes of his upper back as though he'd been born with them. Beads of water highlighted the design, making it glisten. He turned his head and caught her eyes, giving her a wink that made her stomach flutter. "Whatcha lookin' at, _minha cozinheira linda_?" he asked the corner of his lips pulling up into a smirk. (My pretty cook)

She rolled her eyes at him. He was always calling her random names in Portuguese that he never explained and Alex refused to translate. It'd been so frustrating; she'd gone to a book store and purchased a Portuguese-English dictionary. So far, he'd called her a fairy, a red pencil, and a purple heart among other random things. "Nothing," she said before turning on her heel and heading back into the kitchen where Alex and Michaela were helping her cook.

"Why didn't you tell him, Mickey?" Alex asked her friend softly.

Michaela didn't need to ask who she was talking about. "Lex, I've had so much stuff on my mind, I just…forgot."

"I reminded you this morning at the studio."

"Did you? I didn't hear you, I guess," she lied. She had heard Alex's reminder and had just brushed it off knowing that if she didn't tell Leon, Alex definitely would and it would save her a lot of heartache.

"That's bullshit," Alex commented with a scowl.

* * *

Vince was relaxing with his feet in the pool as he chatted with Ronnie. Leon had brought Alex over, and she'd pulled him aside and apologized for overreacting. Everything was good. That was until Mia tapped his shoulder. "What's up, Mi?"

"Lex and Mickey are…sort of fighting inside," she explained looking a bit panicked.

He was up in seconds and sprinting towards the house. He could hear Michaela's voice as soon as he took a step inside. "You know this is all your fault right?" Michaela shouted, her finger in Alex's face. "First you take away my brother and then you steal all of Leon's attention!"

Alex blinked as the hurt and anger set in. "What the hell are you talking about?" she exclaimed, at a loss for what Michaela was implying. "I didn't steal either of them!"

"How come _you_ were the first one he called when he left LA? How come_ you_ were the first one to hear about Lee's family? And why the fuck did he go to you for every single fucking problem he had when _I_ was his girlfriend! He should've been talking to _me_! Not _you_!"

"That's not my fault, Michaela!"

"I bet you were fucking him too, weren't you? You sure that baby is my brother's because it could easily be Leon's!"

Alex's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what Michaela was accusing her of. "I've _never_ cheated on Vince! Not once and _especially_ not with Leon!"

"Whatever you say, Lex. You two spent a lot of time alone together…"

"Fuck you!" Alex shouted, cutting of Michaela's words. "If anything you should _thank_ me! I was the one who let you talk to him when you were in Vegas, _I_ was the one who convinced him to come back home, and lately, I have been spending _hours_ defending you!"

"Oh I doubt that."

"Think what you want, but I did nothing wrong," she insisted.

"Yes you did!" Michaela pushed. "Little Miss Perfect tricks my brother into falling in love with her…"

"_Michaela_," Vince growled as a warning.

"And then you set your sights on Leon and make him trust you so he goes to you instead of me! Meanwhile my idiot brother asks you to marry him and to put icing on the cake, he knocks you up! Now you've got the perfect fucking life and I've got _nothing_! And it is all. Your. Fault."

Vince was ready to step in when Alex's soft voice stopped him. "How can you say that?" she asked, on the edge of tears. She sniffled before continuing, her voice gaining confidence and strength. "I didn't trick Vince into anything, I didn't plan for him to propose, nor did I expect to be pregnant before we even got married. I never asked Leon to come to me with his problems; in fact, we never would've gotten close if it hadn't been for your phone calls and if it hadn't been for you taking Vince to the studio that day we never would've met…so it's your fault, Michaela."

Before Michaela could response, Alex continued, "But I am _so_ glad it happened. I love your brother and I love this weird, misfit family so much so that I want to be angry at you right now, but I can't be because I understand why you feel like that and I'm sorry for it. I wish I could change it, but I can't. Sorry."

All of Michaela's anger deflated. She hated that Alex was right. That everything she said made sense and that underneath it all, it wasn't _her _fault. She couldn't blame anyone but herself for her failed relationship. "Fuck you for being so perfect, Lex," she said on a light laugh to show she didn't mean the insult. She wiped at her eyes that had gathered tears in them sometime during their talk. Sighing, she gave Alex an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," she murmured, hugging the shorter girl.

Alex sighed in relief as she hugged her back. "It's all right," she said, squeezing her.

"You know I love you, right?"

She laughed in response and nodded. "Love you too," Alex replied. "Now go finish packing. Don't forget your toothbrush and to label everything!"

"Yes, Mom," Michaela said, saluting her friend as she headed out of the room.

Vince looked down at his fiancée, unsure of what just happened. "What was that?"

"She had stuff to get off her chest. I'm glad she did it before she left," Alex answered on a shrug. "Now, we can go on with our lives."

He shook his head. "I will never understand women."

* * *

Leon leant against the door jamb, watching Michaela pack. He couldn't believe she was leaving. She turned and met his gaze, her blue eyes guarded as she looked at him. "You weren't going to tell me about this?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest.

She sighed, running a hand through her messy hair. For once, she wished they were still at that awkward phase where they avoided each other and didn't talk. This friendship/friends with benefits things was totally throwing her off. "Spare me the lecture, Lee. Your sister already went through it," she replied.

His eyebrows rose in surprise. That was the first time Michaela had ever referred to Alex as his sister. "My sister?"

"Yeah. I figured if she loved you enough to chew me out like that, she's got to be your sister," Michaela said, throwing a shirt onto her bag. It was a mess. Nothing was folded or place properly, she was literally just shoving things in there.

Leon chuckled, shaking his head at her. "What happened to the cowboy?"

Michaela looked down at her pack. "I broke up with him," she mumbled. "Our whole relationship was so…wrong. I need some time to be alone and just…think."

"How long?"

"I dunno," she said on a shrug. "A few months."

"Then what?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know."

He sucked in a long breath before nodding. "Okay."

The words hung there in the quiet room that was filled with things left unsaid. A part of her wished he'd try and to convince her to stay; the other part was glad he didn't. If he had asked her to, she would stay. "Will you take care of the rest of them?"

It was a question she didn't have to ask. They were as much his family as they were hers. He would take care of each of them at all costs. He rolled his eyes and nodded in response.

"And call me when the baby is born?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied watching as she opened the last drawer and pulled something out. It was one of his jerseys. She took a few steps closer to him as she handed him the jersey. He shook his head. "Keep it."

Michaela nodded, gently setting the jersey in her suitcase. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the black jersey with the red numbers. It was her favorite one of his, the one she would press her face into when she missed him because as many times as she washed it, the smell didn't fade. She wondered if he'd move on in her absence; if he would find some new gorgeous girl who was okay with not having kids or getting married. "What about you?" she said, her voice choked.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said solemnly. He shifted nervously before sighing. "I guess I'll see you around…"

"Yeah."

"All right," he said on a nod. He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to her temple. "Bye, Princess."

Another piece of her heart broke at the old nickname. It'd been so long since he'd called her that. "Goodbye, Lee."

* * *

So? Comments/thoughts/suggestions...everything is welcome! :D

Also, question: What do you readers think of Ronnie and Mia together? I'm a fan of Brian/Mia (especially after the fifth movie), but I've been toying with a Ronnie/Mia fling for awhile too...is that something you'd like see happen?

Review, review, review, please! :)

~LoveInk


	61. Accidents and Realizations

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, matthotty101 **(Thanks for your "feeling" that Eddie had other intentions. I hadn't thought about it, but I liked it so I kinda wrote it in! :]), **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto**, **XXmelissaXXrayanne**, **Rue Dawn, Anonymous, **and **VincesDirtyGirl **(I had written a slap in there but I thought it'd be wrong for Mickey to slap Alex while she was pregnant and I couldn't see Alex slapping Mickey while Vince was there…)

As always, your reviews are appreciated and your comments/suggestions/dislikes are all taken into account as I write my stories! I have been inspired to change the story more than once by you awesome reviewers so keep your suggestions coming!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, and Eddie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 61: Realizations and Accidents_

**By: LoveInk**

A month. Michaela had been gone exactly one month. Everyone went about their days as though nothing had changed, but Leon felt like his world had been turned upside down. Even though they hadn't been together, he'd still grown used to seeing her at least once a day. He missed her voice, the way her cool blue gaze studied him when she thought he wasn't looking, and the way she always managed to touch him when she walked passed.

He looked at the reflection that was staring back at him from the shine of the Skyline's window. Even he could see how tired he looked. No wonder Alex was always worried about him. She was quiet about her worrying, though, and he was happy for that. The only way he knew she worried was the look in her green eyes when he caught her glancing. She tried to hide her worry as best she could, but sometimes he saw it. He didn't know what she was worried about. This wasn't the first time Michaela had left him.

Three times. She had left him three times. "Third time's a charm," he muttered to himself as he wiped down his window with a cloth._ A charm for what exactly_, he wondered. Did it mean she'd come back to him and stay this time? Or that she'd never come back and he'd finally get over her? Which one was the "charm"? Neither of them seemed too appealing.

The first one was ridden with bumps and curves; more fights and more pain. There would always be the lingering issue that they'd eventually have to deal with. The second was one he couldn't even contemplate. He didn't want to live his life without her in it in some way. He could suffer being just friends if it meant he got to be around her. But this distance…this distance was killing him.

* * *

Three months. Leon had been left behind in LA three months ago, and she had yet to hear from him. Alex talked about him every now and then in when she called. Michaela never asked, but Alex always managed to slip some comment in there about his well-being as if she knew that Michaela was dying for an update.

She was sitting on the tour bus with a guitar on her lap, strumming at it lazily as she watched the scenery go by. She wasn't good at it. Vince taught her a few things, but it always bored her when he taught and she hated to practice so her skills didn't improve very much. The tour was heading into Arizona now, Leon's hometown. She had promised Adri she'd visit, but now she wasn't so sure she wanted to. It would only bring about more questions, more memories. She just wanted to stay away and forget.

"Bored?" Eddie questioned as he sat down next to her.

Michaela shrugged a shoulder. "When Lex talked about going on tour, she forgot to mention how boring it was."

"It wasn't boring when she was on tour. She and Ronnie could entertain themselves and the rest of us for hours with a simple piece of paper," he explained with a sad smile. "Once they used two cans and a guitar string to make a phone and strung it between their bunks."

She smiled. "Did it work?"

"Ronnie's so loud it didn't matter. They kept us all laughing through the night."

"You really loved her, didn't you?" she said, slowly coming to that realization.

Eddie sighed, his hazel eyes looking sad as he glanced out the window. "I didn't realize it until I couldn't have her anymore. I always figured she'd be there. But life changed on me and now she's happy with someone else," he said on a sigh. "I have to admit, I didn't have the sincerest of intentions when I brought you on tour with me."

Michaela raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she asked playing dumb. She wasn't blind, she'd seen his flirtatious moves and had caught his innuendos, but she hadn't had the heart to tell him she wasn't interested.

He nodded. "I thought I could somehow get back at Lex and that ogre she's with by being with you."

"That's a shitty thing to do."

"I'm a shitty person if you haven't noticed. I'm sure Lexi has told you."

She scoffed at him, shaking her head. "First off, Lex rarely talks about you. Sometimes she'll call you annoying or rude, but if you jump on the bandwagon, she'll cut you down real fast. She knows you're a good person and she's told me that. I think you're a good person. A good person who makes shitty decisions."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Yeah," she said looking back down at the guitar strings. She strummed a chord and then stopped. "What stopped your evil plan?"

Eddie shrugged a shoulder. "I realized you weren't into it because you're still head over heels in love with Leroy."

"Leon," she corrected.

"Whatever," he said, waving his hand to show he clearly didn't care about names. "You just don't seem…happy."

"Mmm," she mused as she thought. "Sometimes I'm okay. Other times…it's hard, you know? I just…miss him."

"I miss her too. All the time," he admitted, looking down to contemplate his tan hands for a moment before his dark hazel eyes met hers one again. "But you don't have to. Since Lexi is with your brother, missing her is all I have. But you? You still have a chance."

"It can't work," she repeated automatically. Those words never failed to leave a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Don't be so hard-headed. Relationships are like a…a windy road," he started, thinking a car metaphor might work to explain it. "You keep going in one direction; you're going to drive straight off the road and kill yourself. You have to turn the wheel sometimes. Give in a little. You know, swerve."

Similar things had been said by her family, but hearing it from Eddie somehow made it sink in. Maybe she was being too hard-headed. Maybe she needed to change her way of thinking. She ran a hand through her long hair, her throat tight as everything hit her. "God, I'm stupid."

* * *

Vince loved living in Los Angeles but he hated the traffic. Alex had just gotten her first contractions, and while she assured him they were just Braxton-Hicks contractions and the baby was just practicing, Vince wasn't so sure. Despite her protests, he convinced her to go to the hospital and now they were stuck in traffic. Needless to say, he wasn't happy. He looked over at his fiancée who was on her phone, calmly calling each of their family members and filling them in on what was happening. Every once in a while she'd wince and he pushed on the gas just a little faster, tailgating like a maniac. She finally hung up and smiled. "Vince, I'm fine. I'm not going to have a baby in the Maxima. I'm telling you, Grem is just messin' with us. Calm down," Alex reassured him, wincing again as another particularly painful contraction hit. At his worried, look she shook her head. "Calm down. You're making me nervous!"

"I fuckin' hate this," he muttered switching lanes yet again.

Alex studied him, taking note of his white knuckled grip on the gear shift and the way he could not stop moving. Every five seconds, he'd run his hands through his hair, muttering to himself in Italian. She knew if he didn't calm down, he'd cause an accident with his crazy driving. It was one thing to drive fast and weave through traffic with a clear head on your shoulders, it was quite another to drive like that when a million other things were going through your mind. She decided to distract him. "Big guy, what kind of car is a Pathfinder?"

"Nissan," he replied without much thought.

"Oh," she said before testing him with another one she picked randomly from the cars around them. After awhile, she decided to up the ante. "What logo has the running horse?"

"Mustang."

"What about the one with a leaning L?"

"Lexus."

"And the fork?"

Vince raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "What fork?"

"I dunno. It looks like a fork," she said pointing at the car next to them.

"Tiny, that's a trident. It's a Maserati," he said on a chuckle as he relaxed into his seat. "This a new game?"

She smiled in triumph, he already looked calmer. "I'm testing you. You're pretty good."

He smirked. "I've worked on cars since I was ten. Try something harder."

"What about the horse on his back legs?" she said, turning to face the window so he wouldn't see her wince in pain.

Vince went through the car brands in his head. "Does it have stripes or is it yellow?"

"Stripes."

"Porsche."

"Wow," Alex said, clearly impressed. "Okay what about the bridge looking thing?"

"You mean the 'H'?" he asked, his tone telling her he thought the description was stupid.

She scoffed. If she had described it like that, the clue would've been far too easy. "I can't disclose that. You have to take my clues as they are."

"Is it leaning or straight?"

"Leaning."

"Hyundai."

Alex nodded, beaming proudly at her fiancée. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, showing an unknown number. Curious, she answered it. "Hello?"

Vince watched as Alex sat up straight with a quiet gasp. Her hand went to her lips and her green eyes grew glassy with tears as she nodded, listening intently to whoever was on the other line. "Tiny? What? Are you okay? Is the baby coming now?"

She held up a finger to signal him to be quiet. "Thank you, Officer. We'll be right over," she said before hanging up the phone. She swallowed hard as she looked at Vince. "Lee's been in an accident."

* * *

Dun dun duuuuuun... :) What do you think?

I'll try and post the next chapter ASAP!

~Love Ink


	62. Isn't it Obvious?

Sorry it's been awhile but I really struggled with this chapter. It was originally only 4 pages long and I _hated_ it. So I sat for a few days and pondered over how to make it better. I listened to a ton of Train, Maroon 5, the Script, and the Fray and finally I got it down. I really like it and I hope you do too! :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Rue Dawn, nathansprincess, matthotty101, VincesDirtyGirl,** ** xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, **and **bizchelc**! Ya'll are awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, Ronnie, and Eddie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 62: Isn't It Obvious?_

**By: LoveInk**

Alex rushed into the hospital room not at all surprised to see Jesse already standing by Leon's hospital bed. The younger man held out his hand to her and she eagerly took it into her own. "What's the deal, J-man?" she asked softly.

"I dunno. I just got here," he murmured in response, digging his free hand under his beanie to scratch at his head. "He was on his way here 'cause of the baby and he crashed the Skyline."

"I heard about the crash." A car crash. Leon had gotten into a car crash. The idea of it was absurd. Leon didn't get into car crashes. He was the best driver of all of them. Hadn't he seen the green light turn red? Why hadn't he stopped? "You okay, Jess?"

Jesse shrugged, his face was pale. "I just…I got the call and it was just like when Ess got into her accident and then I get here and he's just lyin' here and it's just what happened to Ess…only she looked a lot worse, Als. I mean, Ess had road rash just…everywhere," he explained, swallowing hard. "But she was still beautiful. And she was breathing and holding on and everyone said she'd be fine and then…she wasn't."

Alex squeezed his hand, looking up at him and feeling tears spring to her eyes when she saw one slip down his cheek. "Oh Jess…"

"But Lee's going to be fine. Right?" Jesse interrupted, looking down at her with hope shining in his blue eyes. "He's barely got a scratch on him and the nurse said he had no internal stuff, right? That's what got Ess. But Lee doesn't have that. He'll really be fine, right?"

"Oh honey, I don't know," she murmured, trying to keep her face calm as another contraction hit. Jesse didn't seem to notice. "I hope so."

Vince stopped in the doorway and took in the sight before him. Jesse and Alex were standing as close to Leon's bed as possible. Jesse was holding her hand in a white-knuckle grip as he whispered things to Alex. He'd never thought of the two of them as close. Sure, Alex would play video games with him every now and then, but since her knowledge and interest in cars was lacking and Jesse usually only talked about cars; they had a hard time conversing. At this moment, though, he saw they were closer than he thought.

He couldn't tell who was consoling whom, only that they seemed to be leaning on each other for support. Alex murmured something to him, looking away from Leon and up at Jesse for a brief moment. Jesse shrugged sadly before leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead. She squeezed his hand in response.

"He's going to be fine," Vince said from his spot at the doorway. They turned and he realized that their eyes were red with tears. "At least, that's what the nurses say. He hit his head during the crash and while they don't see anything wrong with it besides needing a few stitches to close that cut up, they won't know for sure 'til he wakes up."

"But he _will_ wake up?" Alex asked, her green eyes hopeful.

Vince nodded. "That's what they tell me."

"Oh thank God," she breathed, sitting down in the chair behind her. The baby kicked inside her stomach. A good, hard kick. She winced as she rubbed at the spot. "Shit."

Vince grabbed her hand, kneeling down at her side. "Tiny, we got to go. Baby time."

"No! I'm fine! I'll just keep my legs closed! I can't leave him," she insisted, squeezing Vince's hand as pain shot up through her lower back and stomach. She sucked in a hard breath, closing her eyes shut in pain. "Fuck this hurts!"

"Jess you stay here and tell Mi and Ron what's going on," Vince ordered, grunting as he swept Alex up into his arms.

She clung to him, her hands fisted in his shirt as another wave of pain overtook her. "Oh my God! Get it out of me!" she yelled, her eyes shut tightly in pain.

"All right, all right. Just breathe!" Vince chuckled, brushing a kiss across her forehead as he speed-walked out of Leon's hospital room and towards the elevator.

Once on the right floor, the maternity nurse looked at him with wide eyes. "Everything all right?"

"No!" Alex yelled, groaning in pain. "I'm about to have a freakin' baby here!"

Vince could tell the nurse was fighting a smile as she hurried to grab him a wheel chair. "You must be awfully strong to carry her like that," she commented, her warm eyes watching as he gingerly set Alex in the wheelchair.

"Yeah, he's a big fuckin' guy!" Alex exclaimed, holding onto her belly, and glaring at Vince when he laughed at her response. "Stop fuckin' laughing! This is all your damn fault! I hate you!"

"Liar," he quipped back. He did his best to stop laughing. He took her hand in his, surprised by the strength of her grip. "Just breathe, Tiny. In and out, just like in that class!"

Alex winced, squeezing his hand tighter. "Bull shit! Just get it out of me!"

Vince chuckled under his breath, catching the nurse's eye and smiling at her. "Guess, its baby time."

* * *

Ronnie and Jesse watched Mia as she paced the floor in front of the delivery room, muttering to herself. "I can't believe they wouldn't let me in there," she said, shaking her head as she remembered Vince and Alex yelling at her to leave as soon as she walked through the door. "I know what to do! I study this shit!"

"Must've been your calm nerves," Ronnie teased. At Mia's glare, he shrugged a shoulder. "Relax _menina_. They wouldn't let me in there either." (Baby girl.)

"That's because you're a nuisance."

He grinned at her. "Thank you."

"Not a compliment."

Jesse chuckled at the exchange. Ronnie elbowed his side, winking him as if to say, check this out. "Oh _meu patinha_, you love me. Deep down you have this strong urge to be my little wife and make me fat with your delicious food." (My little duck)

She stopped pacing just to glare at him. "In your dreams," she scoffed, though Jesse could tell she was fighting off a smile. He wondered if she really did feel that way about Ronnie and decided he liked the idea of the pair. They balanced each other out well. Even now he could tell Ronnie was trying to distract her to calm her down, even if it meant annoying her.

"Nah, in yours," he shot back with a wink. "I know you want me, _meu peixinha. _I'm just waiting for you." (My little fish)

"Get real," she muttered, ignoring the way her heartbeat kicked into high gear at his wink.

He blew a kiss at her and she flipped him off. "Mia Toretto plays hard to get, huh, Jesse?"

Jesse shrugged a shoulder. Alex's screams were barely audible through the thick hospital walls, but they made him nervous. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to calm down. He was in desperate need of a cigarette "You think Lex is okay? She's been in there awhile. Does it take that long? What if Lee wakes up? Should we be with him?"

"She's okay, Jess. The baby will be out any time now," Mia said, giving him a loving smile. "Lee will be fine too. The nurses will let us know if anything changes. His drugs are still wearing off and then he has to take time to wake up on his own. It'll be awhile."

"What about Michaela?" he asked, his face a bit panicked. He had forgotten all about his best friend for a brief moment in the craziness of the day. "No one called her. Lex was gonna and then she…couldn't."

Mia pulled out her cell phone to call her just as the doctor came out the door. As quickly as she had brought it out, Mia shoved the phone into her pocket, making a mental note to call Michaela later. She was too eager to hear about the baby to interrupt the doctor by making a phone call.

* * *

Eight hours later…

The nurse finally handed Alex a small bundle with a little blue hat. "Here's your son," she said, gently transferring the baby to his mother's arms. "He's positively beautiful. Got a head full of hair just like his daddy," she commented looking to Vince.

Vince didn't hear her comment, nor did he hear Alex's response to it. His eyes were fixated on the small bundle in his fiancée's arms. He gently sat down on the bed next to her, watching her as she pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead. "So you're the one that's been kicking me. Nice to finally put a face to the kick," she commented on a light laugh, happy tears in her eyes. She looked up at Vince, a huge smile on her face. "He's amazing."

"Wow," he mumbled, kissing to her shoulder. He gently touched his son's soft tan cheek. "I can't believe he's ours."

"We have to name him, you know," Vince said, his voice soft so as not to wake his sleeping son. "We can't call him Gremlin forever."

Alex chuckled and nodded. "What about Maximus?"

"Sounds an awful lot like Maxima," he replied, giving her a suspicious glance. "Are you allowing him to be named after my car, Tiny? I thought you were firmly against that."

She smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "I like it. It means greatest."

"Well he _is_ our son so he's bound to be the greatest at _some_thing."

"And I'm pretty sure he was made in your car that night," Alex added on a laugh. "How about Angelo for the middle name?"

Vince was surprised by the choice. It was a name he hadn't heard in years, one that brought up both happy and sad memories of his own childhood. "Angelo was my dad's name."

She gave him a secretive smile. "I know."

"You want to name him after my dad?" he asked, disbelief apparent in his voice. She had never and would never meet his dad; why would she want to give him that honor? "What about your dad?"

"From what you've told me, your dad was a wonderful guy, and my dad's already got one grandson named after him; he definitely doesn't need another," she explained slowly. "Why? You don't like the idea?"

He shook his head. "No, no, I love the idea. I just…I can't believe you thought of it," he answered honestly. Dipping his head, he caught her lips in a quick kiss. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Maximus Angelo is a freakin' badass name," she said, scowling at him.

"Our little Gremlin is gonna be a badass."

She nodded, grinning up at him. "Just like his dad."

Vince smirked. "Heaven help us if he's anything like I was growing up."

* * *

Mia jumped up from her spot on the floor when she saw Vince walk out of the room. "So? Is she okay? Is the baby okay? What is the baby? What did you name it?" she shouted at him, rapid fire.

Ronnie set a hand on her shoulder. "Woah, woah, woah, Toretto. Cool your jets. Let the man speak."

Vince gave Ronnie an appreciative look before clearing his throat. "It's a boy. Maximus Angelo Catella. Nine pounds, two ounces. Mama and Maxi are perfectly fine."

"A boy!" she shouted, before clapping her hands over her mouth. She threw her arms around Vince, hugging him tightly. "Oh my gosh! You're a dad!"

Ronnie side stepped around them and headed straight into the room. "There's my girl," he said, grinning at his best friend, his sister. Growing up, she'd always been his partner in crime and his shoulder to cry on. She was patient with him when he was annoying, laughed with him when he told immature jokes, and listened to his ramblings. She was a piece of him, one that he knew he would cherish for the rest of his life and to see that glowing smile on her face made him feel happier than he'd felt in a long time. "How you doin', Lil' Mama?"

"I'm good," she said on a tired sigh. She shifted the baby in her arms so he could see his little face. "Meet Maxi."

"He's a cutie," Ronnie commented with a grin. "Can I hold him?"

"Ronald Romero, if you drop him like you did to your little brother, I swear to God I will _kill _you," Alex threatened, glaring at her best friend.

Ronnie rolled his eyes as he sat down on the bed next to her. "I make one mistake and everyone thinks I'm a baby dropper! Frankie's totally fine now. A little weird, but totally fine."

"Frankie's not any weirder than you, Ronnie," Alex said with a scowl as she gently handed him the baby. She leant her head against his muscular arm. After a moment of silence, she looked up at him. "Remember when we used to talk about this moment?"

"Mmm," Ronnie said on a nod. "We used to say Eddie would faint or be at work so I'd be the one in here with you instead of him and we'd give the kid some crazy music name like Hendrix or Madonna and Eddie would be mad. He used to hate when we talked about it because he knew we were right."

She giggled. "Vince stayed."

"That's because he's a good man."

"What if I had accepted Ed's apology, Ron? What if we'd gotten back together?"

Ronnie chuckled, shaking his head at her. They played the 'what-if' game all the time. It was a favorite. "Lexi, I knew from the very first time I heard you talk about Vince that he was it. Before you slept with him, before you really hung out, you called me and told me he saved you from a night of hell like some sort of superhero and I knew."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "How could you have known?"

"You called him your very own Superman."

"So?"

"Superman is your favorite and you never once called Eddie your Superman. You used to call him the Flash, remember? Because he was always going from one place to another and stuff," he explained before looking down at Maxi. "Your Mama hates the Flash, Maxi, but she sure as hell loves Superman. That's why I knew your Daddy was it. Cool stuff, huh? Uncle Ronnie knew because of superheroes."

Alex laughed. "You're crazy, Ron."

He ignored her and continued talking to the baby. "Now, I always thought your daddy was more Wolverine than Superman, but you're Mama just has this thing for red underpants."

"Ronnie, shut up!"

"What's he saying now?" Mia asked as she strode into the room, her arm looped through Vince's.

Ronnie smirked. "Nothing, _ladrao de bebes_." (Baby stealer)

His name made Alex giggle while Mia fixed him with a heated glare. "I don't know what that means, Romero, but I bet it isn't nice. Now let me see that baby."

"_Eu te disse_," he murmured to Alex. He gently handed Maxi to Mia. "Support his head. Don't drop him." (I told you.)

"I'm not going to drop him! Who drops babies?" Mia exclaimed, a scowl on her face.

Ronnie didn't say anything in response and he prayed his best friend wouldn't either. Alex was silent, but she gave Ron a discreet wink that made Vince wonder if Ronnie had dropped a baby in the past. Vince sat down on Alex's other side and she leaned into him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "How's Lee?" she asked around a yawn.

Vince lifted his arm and slid it around her waist. "The same," he answered lowly. "Jess is with him right now."

"Can I go?"

"Gotta ask the nurse, not me." He had already asked the nurse, of course, but the answer had been no, and he knew it would not go over well with his fiancee. He didn't want to upset her during such a happy moment. He'd leave that to the nurse. She gave him a suspicious glare as though she knew he was hiding something. Luckily, Mia interrupted her before she could say anything.

Maxi started fussing in Mia's arms which made her frown. "He doesn't like me!" she announced, a look of horror on her face. She desperately wanted this little being to like her. She loved babies and it would kill her not to be able him without him crying.

Alex smiled as she shook her head. "Don't be silly. He's just hungry, Mi. Here, I'll feed him."

Mia looked relieved. "Typical Catella. Whining because he's hungry," she said, giving Vince a pointed look.

He smiled back at her proudly. "That's my boy."

Mia scoffed and turned to leave to give Alex some privacy. Ronnie didn't move. "Bye Ronnie!"Alex exclaimed, glaring at him.

"What? Nothin' I haven't seen before," he commented on a shrug. They grew up together. He'd seen her with her top off lots of times during quick changes on tour, accidentally while changing on the beach, and other random times. Hell, they'd taken baths together as kids!

Vince rolled his eyes at Ronnie. "I think that's her way of saying get the hell out."

Ronnie sighed and stood. "Fair enough. Enjoy your meal, Grem."

Once the door shut behind him, Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "You're not mad," she stated, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Should I be?" he asked on a smirk. He knew he had nothing to worry about with Ronnie.

"No, no, of course not. It's just Ron," she replied, shaking her head as she situated Maxi under the breast-feeding privacy contraption the nurse had given her. Not even Eddie had accepted she and Ron's relationship that easily. He'd always had a problem with their closeness. But Vince didn't seem to care. A small smile spread across her face, he really was the right one for her. "I love you. I really do."

* * *

Jesse stared at the phone in his hand, mentally planning the conversation he was about to have with Michaela for the thirteenth time. He'd almost gotten through it twelve times before but something always distracted him before he got to the end. Now, he finally finished it and it sounded good. He held down the number three, her speed dial number, and put the phone to his ear.

Nervous energy flooded through him with each new ring driving him crazy until he stood up and started to pace. Finally on the last ring, Michaela's voice chimed on the other end. "Jesse! Long time no talk! What's up?"

He tried to think of his carefully planned opening line and blanked as his mind travelled instead to the last time she talked to him which really wasn't as long ago as her opening line made it sound. _Damn ADD_, he thought to himself. "Shit uh…oh yeah," he muttered, trying to get back on track. "I'm fine. I was callin' cause I got really good news and some decently bad news. And you have to hear both but which one do you want first?"

Michaela frowned. She could tell something wrong by the tone of his voice. Something worse than "decently bad." Her heart suck to the bottom of her chest as she thought of all the possibilities. Swallowing hard, she decided which she wanted to hear first. "How about we start with the really good?"

Jesse nodded. He figured she'd go that route. "Well, Alex had the baby. Baby Maxi. He's cute and healthy and of course, named after the Maxima which is cool. He'll be a total badass someday…"

She wasn't listening to Jesse ramble on about the baby. Instead, she was wondering why Leon didn't call to tell her. After all, he _had_ promised her that he'd be the one to call. Had she burned that bridge when she left? Were they really so over that he couldn't even call her? She knew her thoughts were selfish. Her brother just had his first kid for crying out loud and all she could think about was Leon and why he hadn't called her! She really was messed up! The silence on the other end indicated that it was her turn to speak. "That's awesome, Jess," she said, trying to muster up some enthusiasm to mask her disappointment. "Out with the decently bad now."

"Um…okay. Don't freak out."

Michaela twirled a strand of hair around her finger nervously. "I won't. What's going on?"

"Lee crashed the Skyline."

She sucked in a hard breath. That wasn't too bad. Maybe that's why he hadn't called her. He was too preoccupied with his injured car that he didn't think about it. "Is he all right?"

"I guess…I dunno…he's in the hospital too. Well, he was here first, technically and then Lex had Maxi. The doctor's won't know how bad his injuries are 'til he wakes up."

Michaela ran a hand through her hair. "Shit. How's the car?" she asked, badly in need of distraction.

"Its…bad. He got t-boned so the whole right side is just trashed…and there's blood like…everywhere. Probably from that fuckin' gash in his head. That's why we gotta wait for him to wake up to find out shit because he's got this wicked gash like on his forehead and a scrape through his eyebrow and shit. He's got a few stitches through 'em. They're gonna leave some wicked scars."

She felt sick to her stomach as she pictured it. How could this have happened? Wasn't he paying attention? Where the hell had he been going? Leon was the most cautious driver she knew and an expert at going fast. What the hell had he been thinking? "Was he drunk, Jess?"

"Nah, he was fuckin' sober 'cause he was on his way to the hospital because Lex's water had broken and shit. The paramedics found his cell in his hands. They thought he was tryin' to call someone on his way or something and hadn't looked up in time to see the light change."

"Fuck," she murmured, tears coming to her eyes. This had been her fault. He'd been trying to call her. "What do I do, Jess?"

The other end was silent and for a moment, Michaela thought Jesse had hung up. "Isn't it obvious, Mickey? He needs you. Come home."

* * *

You like?

What do you think of the baby's name?

Let me know all your thoughts, ideas, etc. in a review! I love hearing from you!

~Love Ink


	63. Holding On and Letting Go

Thank you, thank you, thank you to: **Violet201, nathansprincess, matthotty101, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, D274 **(It is nearing its end! :( But I have other stories in the works…)**, Rue Dawn **(I thought about calling him Grem but then for some reason it felt too weird/unrealistic (because all the other characters have pretty traditional names in the movie), but there are certain people who will call him Grem regardless of his real name ;) hehe)**, VincesDirtyGirl, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, **and **littleone999**! You all rock my socks! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Mickey, Ronnie, and Eddie

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 63: Holding on and Letting Go_

**By: LoveInk**

The room was dark and silent save for the glow of the TV. Vince was sleeping in a chair next to Alex, his feet propped up on the stark white sheets of the hospital bed and Maxi was sleeping peacefully next to him, swaddled tightly in the hospital blankets. Alex was not sleeping. She was trying to figure out the best way to get to Leon's room. When she was sure Vince and Maxi were completely asleep, she slowly slipped out of the bed, wincing as the movement tugged at her sore muscles.

The elevator was nearby and Leon was just one floor below her. If she moved quickly enough, she could get there without the nurses noticing. Ignoring her aching muscles, she jogged to the elevator, making it inside just as she heard the nurse round the corner. She sighed in relief when the doors finally opened onto the correct floor.

She padded her way down the hall, praying no nurse would come through. Luckily for her, the nurses had already done their patient check-ups. Slipping into Leon's room, she leant against the door, a small smile on her face. "Mission accomplished," she muttered to herself.

Slowly, she approached the bed, glad there was a chair there for her to sit in. She sat down with a sigh before leaning forward to grab his hand. "I escaped, Lee," she whispered to him with a naughty smile. "I wanted to see how you were…looks like nothing's changed here but…I had the baby. You were right, our little Gremlin turned out to be a boy. We named him Maximus, which is partly you and Ronnie's fault because you two made me watch _Gladiator_ so many freakin' times and I just couldn't get that name out of my head. We call him Maxi, but I have a feelin' you and Jess will always call him Grem."

She laughed lightly, fighting the urge to cry at the state he was in. He looked so pale lying in that hospital bed. "Lee, you gotta get better, all right? I'm not takin' no for an answer. I want Maxi to meet his Uncle Leon."

Leon could hear Alex but was too lazy to wake up. He was comfortable in this sleepy state. Nothing hurt. No one was missing. He was alone and he was okay with that. He'd be happy to be in that state of numbness forever.

"I like her," a distinct voice said, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned and found a face that was as familiar as his own smirking back at him. "Ess?"

Essie nodded in response. "She takes good care of you. At first I wasn't too into it because I was jealous, but I fuckin' like her now. You need someone like her in your life to tell you when you fuck up."

"This is all in my head right? I'm dreaming," he said, blinking rapidly to see if her the image of his deceased twin sister would disappear.

She shrugged a tattooed shoulder. "Think what you want. I don't give a fuck."

"Jess said he saw you when he was in the hospital. I told him it was the drugs."

"You might be right," she replied, that secretive smile on her face. She took a few steps toward him before pulling him into a tight hug.

He hesitated for a moment before hugging her back. She didn't feel like a dream. She felt real. He could smell the cinnamon of her chewing gum and feel her body against his. "I miss you, Ess," he murmured into her hair, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he squeezed her tighter.

"I miss you too, you butthead," she replied, pulling away and pinching his cheek with her fingers. She was wearing her trademark black leather fingerless gloves. He couldn't remember a time she hadn't worn those. She'd even managed to wear them at their prom. "A fuckin' car crash, Leo? Really? What kind of idiot are you? I hope Alex rips you a new one for that. Who the fuck were you tryin' to call? Couldn't it wait, ya dumbass?"

Leon shook his head. "I was trying to call…her."

"Michaela?" Essie put in, knowingly. "God, you're a fuck up."

The language didn't startle him. It was strangely comforting. Essie used the f-word more than any other person he knew. "Don't start with me, Ess," he muttered. It was good to see her, but he sure as hell did not want to hear her lecture.

"I haven't seen you in like three years. If I want to talk to you, I'm gonna fucking _talk_ to you so shut the fuck up and listen," she ordered, poking him to emphasize her point. "You listenin'?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, clearly frustrated. "Go ahead. I've heard it all before."

"You want kids, Leon."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Hell yeah you do! You've wanted kids your whole fucking life, dumbass! Ever since I can remember! You'd say you were going to marry some gorgeous chick and then have awesome mini-you's runnin' around and hopefully you'd get twins and blah, blah, blah…remember?"

Leon could remember those days. Everything had been so simple then. Having kids seemed like another milestone just like a birthday or graduation. Now, it came with different things, different memories. "Things change."

"Fuck that. You want kids, Leo. Don't you tell me differently. You want kids like Adri has 'em; all cute and shit. Wait 'til you see Maxi. Holy crap. I haven't seen a baby that was so fucking cute since Mattias was born!"

"Why should I have kids? So they can end up dead at nineteen like you?" he shouted, finally voicing his true reason for not wanting children.

Hurt and shock registered in Essie's bright green eyes as she studied her brother. His eyes had tears in them. Obviously, he hadn't taken her death lightly. She wasn't surprised, it was hard to be away from him too. "What happened to me was an accident, Leo," she explained softly. "Your kids aren't going to end up like me."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I don't. But, c'mon Leo, be realistic. The chances of your kid dying young are like one in a fucking billion. Don't keep yourself from being happy just because I fucked up. Don't let it keep you from living your life. Let it go. Let me go."

Leon shook his head. He was not going to let her go. If he and Michaela had kids, and something should happen to one of them…he wouldn't be able to handle seeing Michaela go through that kind of pain. It had been bad enough after her miscarriage, what would it be like if they lost one in an accident? No, there was no way he'd put her through that. "Fuck you. I don't want kids."

"Fuck you right back. You _do_! I know you better than anyone, you little fucker! You want to live a lonely, uneventful life? Go ahead! Keep thinking that. But you're goin' to lose Mickey and you're goin' to lose one hell of a future because you know building a family with her wouldn't be boring. Not for a minute. You'd fucking love every minute of it and you _know _it. Who are you kidding, Leo?"

He sighed, throwing his hands up in the air. It was useless fighting with her; especially when deep down, he knew she was right. "It doesn't matter. I already lost her, Ess."

"That's fuckin' bull shit," she swore at him, shaking her head. She stuck a finger in his face. "That girl fuckin' loves you. She's probably on her way to the hospital which is why you gotta wake the fuck up both figuratively and literally. This is your life, Leo, and it's ending one minute at a time."

Leon rolled his eyes at her. "Don't quote _Fight Club_ at me. You weren't even around when that came out."

"Hmm," she hummed, pondering his comment before shrugging. "Saw it though. Fucking good movie."

"Whatever, Ess."

"I forgot what a fucking thick head you have," she muttered to herself. "Listen to me, idiot. Your future without her is bleak. She _will_ move on. You won't because when you get stuck in a fucking rut, you stay there until someone bails you out or you runaway. You can't run this time, Leo."

"Why the fuck not?" he asked, irritated by Essie's pushing. She was making him face things he didn't want to face and he hated her for that.

Essie rolled her eyes. "Okay, say you run away. You're leaving behind Jess..."

"Jess'll come with me," he interrupted.

"Not this time, Leo," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "This time he's got nothin' to run from. Doesn't matter, anyways. You're not going to run. Do you really think you can live without Jess and V and Lex and _Michaela. _I mean, maybe the other three, but you can't live without Mickey. We both know that."

"Fuck off, Ess."

"No. I will _not_ fuck off because I fuckin' love you, Leo! I want to see you happy and I have _never_ seen you as happy as you were with Michaela! I want you to go back to that you shithead!" she exclaimed, stamping her foot in frustration. "Will you at least try? Please? For me?"

Leon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "All right!"

"Finally!" Essie threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you!"

He rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself. He'd forgotten how happy seeing his sister smile made him. "You're welcome."

Her smile turned into a frown as she looked off into the distance over his shoulder. "You have to go back now."

He looked over his shoulder to see what she was looking at and found nothing. The hair prickled at the back of his neck, what was she seeing that he couldn't? He snapped his fingers in front of her face to bring her attention back to him. "Why?"

Essie gave him a reassuring smile. "You gotta meet your new nephew, Leo. He's precious. And tell Jess I love him. A lot," she ordered a tear slipping down her cheek. "I hate this. I get to see you two for like half a minute every time one of you gets fuckin' hurt."

Leon chuckled. "You want us to get hurt more often?"

"Fuck no," she said on a light laugh. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "Take care of yourself, bro."

Leon nodded solemnly, trying not to cry himself. "Yeah," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. Her image began to grow fuzzy and he tried his hardest to make it come back. "See you later?"

"Not too soon, I hope," she murmured, kissing his cheek softly. "I love you."

"You too, Essie."

* * *

Michaela stared at the cell phone in her hands. After she hung up with Jesse she had called Leon, praying what Jesse had said wasn't true. She dialed three times and had gotten nothing in return. Just the boring robot voice telling him his number was unavailable. She pressed redial, holding the phone to her ear. "You have reached 702…" the robot responded.

She hung up before it could get past the area code. His number was as familiar to her as her own. Tears filled her eyes as she clutched the phone tightly. "No," she breathed, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Leon was hurt and she couldn't leave to go help him. The tears fell faster than she could stop them.

Eddie was wandering around the concert arena when he found Michaela sitting in a hallway, knees pulled to her chest, face hidden. "Mickey?" he questioned, looking down at her. His hazel eyes looked just as sad as she felt.

Michaela lifted her head, looking up at him with glassy, sad blue eyes. "Hi," she rasped.

He looked to his right and left to make sure no one was coming before he took a seat next to her. He was supposed to be in wardrobe approving new stage costumes, not sitting around hallways. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

"He got in a car crash," she told him softly. Sniffling, she wiped at her eyes.

Eddie wasn't stupid enough to ask who he was. He could tell it was Leon by how upset she was. "Is he all right?"

"He's in the hospital."

"What are you still doing here?" he questioned. "You should go."

Michaela stared at him, eyes wide. "I can't go. We have a concert tomorrow," she said feeling hopeless. "I made a commitment to be here. I knew what I was getting into."

"Go. See him and the baby."

_So that's why _he's_ sad_, she thought. "You heard?"

Eddie shrugged. "Yeah," he replied, his voice rough and sad. "Ron called Ma and she's been telling anyone with ears that she's a grandma again; never mind that both her "grandchildren" are actually Lex's sister's kid and this kid. None are her actual blood. And Iggie comes up to me, slaps me on the back and says, '"And to think, it could've been you." Some older brother _he_ is."

Michaela fought the urge to laugh. Iggie was Eddie's oldest brother and was in charge of lighting and sound on the concert tour. The whole event was a family affair for Eddie. His mom was their manager, his dad their agent, his big brother did tech, Ronnie used to be in the band, and his two younger siblings, Frankie and Katie, showed up every now and then. Even Alex's family was heavily involved. She could see how it was hard for him when stuff like this happened. "I'm sorry, Ed."

"I know we're done and it's over but…it still hurts, you know? I just…I miss her," he said on another sigh. "Anyways, Ma told me to tell you to go home. She knows it's your first nephew, and I think she knows about your boyfriend too. Ronnie's got a big mouth."

"You _really _think I should go?" she asked ignoring his whole rant. "I don't think he wants to see me."

"How could you live with yourself if you didn't go? What if…what if something goes wrong and this is the last chance you'll have to see him?"

Her blue eyes widened. "You think he's going to _die_?"

"No, no, no," Eddie denied, shaking his head vigorously back and forth. He did not think that, but he was trying to get her to go. "I don't _think _he will but you never know."

"I don't think I can handle it," she admitted softly. "I can't see him hurting and not want to…take care of him."

"You're stronger than you think, Catella," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it. "You can handle it. You're going to walk right in there and say your piece. Make sure he's all right and then from there…who knows? Maybe you'll come back out here, maybe you'll stay. Do what you feel is right."

"Wanna come with me?" she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes. She'd gotten to be close friends with Eddie. He was surprisingly easy to talk to once you pulled him away from all the glitz and glamour. She could see why Alex had loved him before.

"Nah," he said shrugging a shoulder. "I think it's better if I stay."

Michaela saw right through his excuse. "You can't handle it either, huh?"

He smirked and nodded. "When we get to California, my whole family is going to go, and even then, I'm not sure I will."

"You're stronger then you think, Ed," she parroted, giving him an encouraging smile. She wiped at her eyes before standing up.

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Now where have I heard that before?" he muttered to himself.

She ignored him. "I'm going to go and see him and he's going to be fine. I'll just walk right in there, tell him how I feel, and then go see my gorgeous nephew," she announced, a determined gleam in her eye. She could honestly say she was excited to go home and start something new. Excited to see her nephew, her brother, her sisters, and just be home. She'd missed it while travelling across the country. She tried not to think of Leon being injured and instead, focused on trying to come up with the right words to fix their broken relationship.

He held out his hand for her to help him up and she willing grabbed it, tugging him up to his feet. "Good luck."

"I expect to see you in a week, mister," she teased, wagging a finger in his face before turning to walk towards her dressing room.

"Tell Lex congrats and tell your brother to go to hell," he shouted at her back.

Michaela laughed as turned around and began walking backwards. "I will do the first, but not the second. Telling him to go to hell usually winds up with me in a headlock and my brother is freakin' strong."

* * *

Leon woke up slowly to the beep of machinery. He groaned as he started to regain feeling, his whole body ached. "Fuck," he grumbled, opening one eye to the bright lights around him. He closed it again before opening both eyes and blinking in the artificial lights. "Fuckin' lights."

"I know, they're bright, huh?" Jesse's voice answered back. "I dunno why they do that. It's like, if I'm going to wake up, the last thing I want to see are bright fuckin' lights."

He chuckled, regretting it instantly when it sent pain through his torso. "Ow fuck," he murmured, rubbing at his side.

"How's your head?"

"My head?" Leon repeated, his hand going up to touch his forehead. He found a decently sized bandage. "Oh fuck. What's my damage?"

"Six stitches to the head, a few broken ribs, and lots of bruising," Jesse explained, flipping through a car magazine serenely. "Doc's were worried you'd be brain dead. You brain dead?"

"No."

"Good," he said on a nod. "Lex had the baby."

Leon nodded slowly. "I know. I actually saw…I saw Ess."

This caught Jesse's attention. His blue eyes looked up from the magazine and stared at Leon, a sad look in them. "She's still beautiful, huh?" he said reverently. "What'd she say?"

"Chewed me out about Mickey. Told me I wanted kids. All this shit."

"I could've told you that," he muttered, going back to his magazine.

Leon could tell the kid was upset that no mention was made of him. He sighed, rolling his eyes. "She said she loves you a lot."

Jesse smirked, looking up again from his magazine. "I know."

"Where's Lex?"

"She decided to walk her ass over here when the nurse specifically told her not to, so she's currently being lectured about listening to the rules. But other than that, she's healthy. Maxi is awesome. I got to hold him and he grabbed my finger. He's got a strong grip, that kid. He'll be an awesome mechanic."

Leon chuckled, shaking his head at his friend. "He was just born, Jess."

"I know, I know," he said waving his hands around. "His name is Maximus Angelo. Doesn't he sound like a gladiator? I'm tellin' you, this kid is going to be badass."

"Of course. He's mine," Vince said as he walked into the hospital room. "How you doin' Lee?"

"Livin'."

"You scared the shit out of Tiny."

"Sorry," Leon mumbled, looking down at the IV in his hand. "How's little Mama?"

Vince smirked. "She's pissed. She hates sitting in bed all day and the nurses are watching her like a hawk 'cause she left one night."

"How many more days 'til she's out?"

"One. She'll be good to go tomorrow."

Leon smiled; happy it wouldn't be long until he got to see her. "Good."

"I'm sure she'll be here as soon as I tell her you're awake, anyway," Vince said on a smirk on his face. When his wife got something in her head, she was going to do it, rules or no rules. "I'll make sure she brings Maxi."

"Tell her not to worry about it. I'll see her later."

Vince snorted as he shook his head. "You tell her. She's all set to give you a lecture, Lee. You can't stop her."

"She's crazy," he muttered in response, running his IV-ed hand over his hair.

"I fuckin' love that woman," Vince said, a tone of admiration in his voice. He cleared his throat as he looked at his shoes. "Michaela's on her way," he said softly.

Leon tried not to react, tried to let the comment slide right off him but he felt his stomach flip flop. Outwardly, he did his best to stay calm and collected. "Mm-kay."

"Just thought you might want to know."

He nodded slowly. "Thanks," he muttered. His mind was buzzing with different thoughts and feelings. Was Michaela coming back for him or for the baby? He was almost sure she was coming back to see the baby, but part of him hoped she was coming back for him. A bigger part of him hoped that whatever the reason, she was coming back to stay.

* * *

Essie makes a reappearance because I freakin' love writing her! :) If you readers are interested, I've been playing with writing a prequel about Jesse, Essie, and Leon...Let me know if that's something you'd want to read! ;)

As always, your thoughts, ideas, etc. are welcome and appreciated!

~Love Ink


	64. Damaged

Sorry it took me awhile! This chapter was tricky. A lot of editing/changes/massive deletes were involved! Luckily, I got the **FastFive** DVD and it kind of "unstuck" me. ;)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who took the time to review!: **Violet201, D274, Mrz Letty Ortiz-Toretto, Trickster707, bizchelc**(LOVE the Star Wars reference! I'm all for Essie being a new-aged Yoda! ;) )** VincesDirtyGirl **(Good luck with your story! If you ever need help, send me a message! :])**, GallagherGirl4Evah**, **Rue Dawn**, **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, **and** nathansprincess**! You all are superb!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex and Michaela. :)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 64: Damaged_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela's stomach was in knots as she unlocked the front door to her house. She wanted a few minutes to get changed and to pull her thoughts together before going to see Leon. After a long, hot shower, she quickly got dressed and headed to her Celica.

Moments later, she stood in front of the large brick building that housed DT automotive. She didn't know what made her go to the garage before going to the hospital, but there she was, looking at the dirty metal door. Sighing, she opened it and stepped inside. Sunlight filtered into the bay though the dirty windows, illuminating the one car that seemed to be having work done on and a larger shape lurking in the corner. The one car being worked on still had its hood propped open with tools spilled on the floor around it, a tool box tipped over its side nearby. She saw the ashtray sitting by it and toed it absentmindedly. He'd been here.

She saw the large mass in the corner covered by a sheet and hesitantly walked toward it. Slowly, she lifted the corner of the sheet, her heart lurching in her chest when she realized what it was. It was the Skyline. A small gasp left her lips as the sheet fell aside revealing ruined car. "No," she whispered, her hand covering her mouth.

Her eyes fell on the door first, his door. It was bent in the middle and hanging open. Glass littered the floor of the driver's seat. Red glass. She closed her eyes. No, of course it wasn't red glass it was glass covered in blood…_his _blood. She felt sick to her stomach.

"God, Lee," she breathed as she brushed her fingers over the damaged decal on the side. Why hadn't he just waited to call her? He didn't have to call her on his way! He should've waited until he got to the hospital!

"What the hell happened to it?" a familiar voice questioned from behind her.

Michaela turned to find Letty walking towards her, a concerned look on her tan face. "Letty!" she exclaimed, rushing towards her and pulling her into a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Letty shrugged a shoulder as if her reappearance wasn't that big of a deal. "Lookin' for Dom."

"He never met up with you?" she questioned, eyes wide with shock. The plan had been for Dom to meet her in Mexico. For Dom to skip out on her like that what crazy! How could he? He loved her more than anything, why would he just leave her there?

"No," Letty replied her voice rough and sad. "You guys hear from him?"

Michaela shook her head. "Not a word."

"Huh," she grunted pensively. Her dark eyes travelled to the Skyline, a sad look in them. "Shit. What happened to the Skyline?"

"He crashed it running through a red light."

Letty furrowed her brows. If Leon crashed the Skyline, why the hell was Michaela there and not at the hospital? Was the outcome worse than Letty had assumed? Was Leon gone too? "And you're here because…Is he…"

"No!" Michaela exclaimed loudly. "No, he's fine, I think. He's alive. I'm here because…well, you missed a lot, Letty."

"I called Lee awhile back," she admitted, her eyes focused on her feet. She had a feeling Michaela would not be happy about that. "He told me about Lex and Vince heard about Lex being pregnant and about Vince goin' to jail. He said Jess was awake…all that shit."

Michaela tried to get over the hurt she felt at not being called. Why did no one ever think to call her? And why hadn't Leon mentioned her when he talked to Letty? "Oh."

"Mickey, I didn't call you because I got a new phone and didn't have your number. Lee had written his down for me before he left. I'm sorry."

" 's all right," she said on a shrug. "Um. Me and Lee broke up and then I went on tour with Alex's ex's band which is why I'm here and not…there. I just got home and I needed to…think before heading over there."

Letty sighed and shook her head. Things weren't supposed to fall apart like this. Michaela and Leon were supposed to stay together like Alex and Vince. She wasn't supposed to have to worry about her because she had Leon! "You gonna get back together?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I dunno yet, Let. I just got here."

"Huh. That thing is fuckin' depressing," the other girl stated, nodding her head towards the heap of metal that was the Skyline. "Such a waste. Let's get outta here and go see your man."

Michaela rolled her eyes at Letty's statement. "You know, Lex had the baby," she stated as they walked towards their cars together.

"No shit!" Letty exclaimed, her face sad for a split second before she smiled. "So that's where everyone is! Between Alex and Lee, everyone is at the hospital! Let's go meet the little monster."

"Hey Let?" Michaela asked, stopping her friend in her tracks.

"Mm?"

"We've always been on the same cycle and that day…I was pregnant and I miscarried and…"

Letty's smile faltered, her head dipping down sadly. "Yeah, me too."

Michaela kicked at her tire and sighed. "It sucks, huh?"

She shrugged in response as she unlocked the door to her car, an old beat up Chevelle. "Shit happens for a reason, Micks. What would I do with a kid now? I couldn't hunt down Dom, that's for sure. I'd be stuck. It's a blessing in disguise."

"That's what Vince said."

"Sometimes the Coyote's got good stuff to say. Other times, not so much. It ain't like we can't have 'em in the future, right?"

Michaela sighed sadly. "Leon doesn't want 'em."

"_I_ don't want 'em," Letty admitted softly. "Not now, anyway. You can't fault him on that. C'mon, Mickey, let go see the new addition to our family."

* * *

"Look at that, he didn't come out ugly," Leon teased as he held baby Maxi in his arms. "Who do you look like, Grem? Neither of your parents is very good looking."

Alex smirked at him from her place at the foot of his bed. "Shut up, Leon," she scoffed. Their eyes met for a brief moment and she frowned. "Lee, what were you thinking? You were driving way too fast to be one the phone! Who the hell were you calling?"

He sighed, rocking Maxi slightly. "I was calling Mickey. I promised I'd call her when the baby came and the baby was comin' so I called…or I tried to."

"You couldn't have waited 'til you got here, Lee? I was in labor for like eight hours, you coulda called her then!"

"Eight hours?" he exclaimed before letting out a low whistle. "Shit, Shorty. That's gotta hurt."

Alex smiled, reaching out to touch her son's head. "He was worth it."

"I'm sorry, Lex."

She gave him a confused look. "For what? You didn't do anything."

"It was supposed to be your day. You had the baby, you're supposed to get all the attention," he explained.

"Yes, because I _love_ attention," Alex said sarcastically. She hated being fussed and fawned over. The only person who's attention she loved was Vince's, and even then, she wasn't that demanding. Not like Letty was with Dom or how Michaela had been with him.

He caught her biting her lip and smirked. "Spare me the lecture, Shorty. Whatever drugs they gave me were so fuckin' strong, I saw Essie and she gave me a lecture that would put all other lectures to shame."

Alex gave him a warm smile. "You saw Essie?"

Leon nodded. "Said she likes you 'cause you take care of me and tell me when I mess up. Then she said the Gremlin was so cute, I'd want kids."

She was happy to hear that Leon's drug induced vision of his sister liked her and thought she was doing a good job in her role, but she was interested in the "kid issue". "And?"

"He's pretty fuckin' cute."

"But you still don't want kids," she finished for him, taking Maxi from his arms when Leon handed him over. "No matter how cute my son is."

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno, Lex," he said on a breath. "I don't want them _now_, that's for sure."

Alex grinned. "But you're considering it."

"I dunno," he repeated. "Maybe."

She frowned, it wasn't a definite answer but it was better than nothing. She was sure Michaela could deal with a "maybe" better than a "no". "What are you gonna do when Mickey gets here?"

"Pretend I'm asleep," he said, laying his head back on the pillow lazily, his eyes already closing.

She laughed as she shook her head at him. "Uncle Lee is silly," she cooed to her baby. "He's got to learn to deal with his problems."

"I deal with them!" Leon scoffed defensively. "Shouldn't you be at your room?"

"See? He's avoiding his problems," she said to Maxi before looking up at Leon. "Today's my last day in here and Vince is sleeping so as long as the nurses don't catch me, I should be good."

"How's baby daddy doing?"

Alex knew he was trying to avoid talking about Michaela and for the time being, she'd let it slide. "I love that man," she replied simply.

Leon smiled sadly at her. He wished love was as easy and effortless as Alex and Vince made it look. They never seemed to question each other or fight. They just loved each other unconditionally. He had no doubt the two would make awesome parents. Maxi was one of the luckiest kids in the world to have them. "He better treat you right or I'll kick his ass."

She giggled at that thought. "Seems like Uncle Lee really _does_ have brain damage if he thinks he can kick your daddy's butt," she cooed at Maxi.

* * *

Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? I'm open to anything and everything! :)

Does anyone have any good song-writing inspiration songs? My "inspirational" playlist for this story is so...over played and I'm always looking for new stuff! :D

~Love Ink


	65. Returning

We're coming to the end of the road...only one or two chapters left! Thanks for sticking with me guys! :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who took the time to review!: **Mrz LOT **(I LOVE that song!), **nathansprincess**, **Rue Dawn, Fhiu** (thanks for the review, but next time skip the chain letter part! hehe), **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **D274 **(The songs you suggested are awesome and have been added to my playlist! Thanks!), **hideher **(I'm glad you like my OCs, I always worry about how their credibility!), **shane vanson **(wow, twice! That's awesome! :D), **kjstarkey**, and **Beautiful Nightmare** (who reviewed the other fic and has a pretty sweet TFATF fic of her own!).

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex and Michaela. :)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 65: Returning_

**By: LoveInk**

Michaela felt stronger walking into the hospital with Letty by her side than if she had had to do it alone. After asking for both of their friend's rooms, they stood in the waiting room arguing over which to visit first. "Why don't you go visit Lee, and I'll go visit the baby?" Letty suggested. "Then we'll switch."

"Why can't I visit the baby first? It's my nephew!" Michaela fought back.

Letty rolled her eyes. "Because if you visit the baby first, you'll never go visit Leon!"

She scowled in response, Letty knew her too well. "I think my brother might be a little offended if I don't see him first!" she tried anyway.

"Woah," Jesse's voice cut off whatever Letty was going to say. "Um. Hi girls."

Letty glared at Michaela before turning to Jesse. "Hey Jess. How you livin' boy? Long time no see."

He dug a hand under his beanie and nodded."Good. Wasn't expecting to see you here," he replied, hugging her.

"What can I say? I like surprising people. I heard what happened, Jess, and I'm sorry."

Jesse waved her off. "Don't be. I raced Tran, I lost, and I ran. I fucked up. At least I got through it. At least we all got through it, right?"

"Right," Letty agreed with a nod. She watched as he shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. It was obvious he did not want to talk anymore about his mistake, so she changed the subject. "Jess, where do you think Mickey should go first?"

"Um, well, Lex'll be checkin' out soon so you guys should see her first. But Lee's really hurt so maybe Mickey should go see him and you go see them. Then you guys can switch!" he stated as though it was the best idea ever. "I gotta get to the garage and finish up a job."

Michaela's face fell. She was hoping Jesse would choose a different path. He was right though, she should go to Leon first. She wouldn't be able to fully enjoy meeting her new nephew otherwise. "Ugh. Fine," she muttered, following Letty as she began walking to the elevator.

* * *

Alex could hear Vince's soft singing from the bathroom where she was getting dressed. She pulled on a pair of Vince's gym shorts and his old football jersey before slipping on her flip-flops. It felt good to be out of a hospital gown. She made sure to open to door quietly so she wouldn't interrupt the father and son moment. It didn't take long for Vince to notice her. His blue eyes sparkled with happiness as he looked at her. "You look good, Tiny," he said nodding at her.

She smiled at him. That was his usual compliment to the women he loved. "Thanks, big guy. How's the little guy?"

"Sleepin'," he replied, nodding toward the crib.

Leaning her head against his arm, she sighed as she looked at her sleeping son. "We get to take him home tonight."

He nodded before dipping his head to kiss her temple. "You excited?"

"Uh-huh," she said, a bright grin on her face. "I just hope he sleeps through the night."

"Your dad called. Asked what best time was for them to come visit."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "My dad called you?"

"Yeah."

"How does he have your number?" she asked, confused. Her dad and Vince had seen each other face to face all of two times, and she'd never seen them exchange phone numbers.

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "I got Ronnie's cell off Mia, called him, and then called your dad for something."

"For what?" she pressed.

"I couldn't ask you to marry me without his permission."

Alex felt her heart skip a beat. Vince never ceased to surprise her. His proposal in the car that night had seemed so…random, so out of the blue. She had never even considered that he planned it out and called her father! He was the first of her siblings' significant others to ask her father for permission. She knew that because her dad would constantly tease her two brother-in-laws about it in mock offense. "And I thought I couldn't love you more," she murmured, looking up at him with a small smile.

He gave her a questioning look, his head tilted to the side as he gently brushed a hair out of her face. "You could always love me more," he said, his tone implying something a lot dirtier than she'd meant. She giggled, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. He pulled her in closer, one of his thick arms around her waist and one hand tangled into her dark hair.

Letty walked in to find Vince and Alex making out like teenagers. "Didn't you two just have a kid? Shouldn't you wait a few years before making another one?" Letty commented, smirking when the couple pulled apart; Vince with a proud smile on his face and Alex with a red blush coloring her cheeks.

"Look who it is, little Miss Letty," Vince drawled, dropping his arm from Alex's waist and going to hug Letty.

Letty sighed as she felt his strong, familiar arms wrap around her. "How you livin', V?"

"I'm doin' well," he said, smiling like a kid.

"What about you, Lil' Mama?" Letty asked, peering around Vince to look at Alex.

She smiled in response, going to hug her friend. "I'm tired and in desperate need of a shower, but happy," she answered. "Want to meet him?"

"Hell yeah," Letty replied, holding her arms out. "Let's see this little monster."

Alex gently lifter her son from his crib and carried him over to Letty. "Let, meet Maxi. Maxi, this is your _Tia_ Letty," she introduced softly, placing the baby in Letty's arms.

"Hey Maxi," Letty cooed, rocking the baby gently in her arms. She looked up at Vince who was grinning, a proud look on his face. The thought that he was a father had been comical to Letty at first, but seeing the way he was watching his son with that protective gleam in his eyes made her think twice. She had no doubt in her mind that the Ole Coyote would be an amazing father. "He's precious, V. Looks like he got all of Lex's genes."

"Thank God," Vince muttered with a smirk. "That means he'll be smart too."

Alex scowled at him. She hated the way he always sold himself short. "You're smart," she said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Don't go making his head any bigger than it is," Letty put in. "He'll have problems fitting through doors."

Alex giggled in response while Vince flipped his friend off. "Speaking of big heads, you hear from Dom?"

Letty shook her head slowly. "He never came to Mexico. I got tired of waiting for his ass. You hear from him?"

Vince said no at the same time Alex mumbled, "Yes." Both of them looked at her in surprise. Letty because this was new information, Vince because he thought Alex was going to keep quiet about Dom. Alex sighed, running a hand through her hair. "He called me."

"He called _you_?" Letty repeated, still shocked. Out of all the people to call, why on Earth would Dom call _her_? He didn't even like her!

"Yes, me," Alex muttered miserably. "He called me because he was trying to get to Vince, but Vince wasn't here so..."

Vince slowly took Maxi from Letty's arms, knowing that at any moment, she'd drop him without thinking. Letty blinked at Alex, trying to process the information. "He called you…well, what did he say?"

"Not very much," she replied slowly. "Mostly because I yelled at him. He asked about you and Vince and Jess. I was surprised when he asked about you because I thought you two were together but…guess not."

"_You_ yelled at _Dom_?" Letty parroted, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

Alex shrugged. "I was pregnant and hormonal and he was being rude. Someone had to do it."

Vince chuckled. "That's my girl."

"Did he say where he was?" Letty questioned, in full detective mode.

She shook her head, no. "He started talking to me in Spanish, though. The people around him were speaking it too. The accent was kind of…off. It was like island-y."

"You think he was in the DR?"

Alex thought about one of her fellow dancer on tour that had been from the Dominican Republic. She tried to bring up his accent in her head. "That would make sense."

Letty mentally smacked herself in the head. Why hadn't she thought of that before? They'd always talked about visiting the DR! "V, do you think Hector knows where he is? He's got cousins in the DR, don't he?"

Vince shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe. Wouldn't hurt to ask."

"Or you could just get there and follow the odor of skanks…" Alex suggested nonchalantly. "I'm sure that'll lead you straight to him."

* * *

Michaela hesitated at the doorway to Leon's room. Looking through the window, she saw that he still had his eyes closed and her heart dropped in her chest. Jesse had told her they wouldn't know the extent of his damage until he woke up. It'd been a few days…why hadn't he woken up? Was he that damaged?

Her hand shook as she pulled open the door and slowly made her way in. Standing in front of him, she felt even guiltier than she had before. This was all her fault. Why had she left him? She didn't need to go on tour. It didn't give her anything. She needed to be here. With her family. With him.

He'd been right all along, though she hated to admit it. What was she thinking demanding a family from him? Demanding to get married? Leon was not a planner. He went with the flow and did whatever felt right in the moment. Of course, he hadn't thought about marriage! He probably hadn't even thought about what he was doing the next day!

Sighing, she sat down on the edge of Leon's bed and grabbed hand. It was weird to see him in that awful blue hospital gown. His tan seemed to glow against the stark white sheets of the bed. She swallowed the lump in her throat and sniffed. "Um. Hey Lee. It's me," she said softly. "God, I miss you," she said on a laugh.

She squeezed his warm hand, wiping at her tears with the back of her free hand. "Um…I just…I wanted to say I'm sorry for…for being so…stupid. I should've listened to you, Lee. I've had a lot of time to think about…stuff…and I think…I think you were right. Sort of…I don't know. You were right about…waiting. I mean, I want kids but I don't need them right now. I'm not Alex and you're not Vince. They're on like a completely different planet as far as I'm concerned."

Now the tears were falling faster than she could wipe them away. "I understand now what you meant about…having fun and just living in the moment. And I want that too. I just…everything happened and then Lauren came and I was so scared I was going to lose you that I...I went too far. I expected too much."

She swallowed hard and shook her head. "Fuck that was hard to say and I bet you didn't hear any of it so I'll probably just have to repeat it again which…sucks because I'm sure I won't get it right."

"_Sos un boludo. Ella te esta derramando su corazón y estas fingiendo ser dormido. __Te va a matar por eso_," Alex said from her place in the doorway. Vince stood behind her looking very confused while Letty was chuckling to herself. (_You're an asshole. She is pouring out her heart to you and you're pretending to sleep. She is going to kill you._)

"Lex, I don't understand Spanish. You know that," Mickey stated scowling at her friend.

"You don't, but he does," she said nodding toward Leon. "He's awake."

Michaela quickly looked to Leon who was sitting up and glaring at Alex. "Thanks for that, sis" he grumbled, fighting off a grin.

"Someone has to call you on your bullshit," she said, a devilish smirk on her face as she walked away, pulling a very angry looking Vince along with her. Letty waved at Leon before disappearing after them.

"You little shit head!" Michaela exclaimed, smacking him with the hand he wasn't holding. "I can't believe you! I'm sitting here pouring my heart out and you pretend you're _sleeping_!"

"Ow stop! Still injured here!" he shouted, trying to dodge her slaps. She stopped and just sat there, staring at him, a look of disbelief still on her face. He bit back a laugh, knowing it wouldn't help his case if he laughed at her. "I'm sorry."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I fucking _hate_ you."

He chuckled, squeezing her hand gently. "No, you don't."

"No, I don't. You're kind of hard to hate." She let out a long sighed before leaning over to catch his lips in a quick kiss.

Words couldn't describe how good it felt to feel her lips against his again. He tangled his hands into her wild hair and pulled her in for another one. He could feel the world slowly slipping away, leaving only him and her, together.

She pulled away first, her blue eyes shining with happy tears. "God, Lee, you scared me," she said softly, her forehead pressed to his. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I told you I wasn't going anywhere," he murmured. "I'm staying right here with you."

Michaela smiled, she loved the sound of that. She ran her fingers over his cheeks and smiled happy to be with him. Not everything was perfect, they still had some problems to work out, but they were getting there. Being without him made her realize just how much she loved him. How she could never just let him go and get over it. She was meant to be with him and only him. Yeah, they had their difference, but she was confident they could work it out somehow. It would take time and some struggle, but they'd manage it. "I love you, Lee," she whispered, kissing him again.

"You too, Princess."

* * *

:) Did you like it? Love it?

Anyone see the tie-in from Vin Diesel's short film, _Los Bandoleros_? (If you haven't seen it, look it up on youtube and watch it for some amazing Dotty-ness!)

As always your comments, criticism, suggestions, etc. are always appreciated! :D Let me know what you want to see and I'll try to work it in! hehe

~Love Ink


	66. The Next Step

It's coming to the end…just two more chapters left! :(

Thank you to the amazing reviewers who continue to love me despite my slowness in updating: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(I saw it too! Johnny Strong is a beautiful man but the movie could've been a lot better if those fight scenes were cut in half and his shirt was off more…hehe), **Magenta Stone** (I'm not sure if I'll write one about Maxi when he's older, I never really thought about it!…It _is_ a good idea though!), **D274, nathansprincess** (there is a third one and a prequel on the way!), **Mrz LOT, sweetistofsin, Beautiful Nightmare** (I couldn't bear to kill Leon. It was heartbreaking enough to watch Vince die in Fast Five, I couldn't even _think_ about killing another one of my favorite men!), **shane vanson, Rue Dawn, Vinces-Girl, **and **VincesDirtyGirl**!

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review, you comments and thoughts are very much appreciated!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex and Michaela. :)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 66: The Next Step_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince came home from the supermarket to find the house completely silent. For the first time since he had moved in, there was no one else living in the house with them. If Leon wasn't in the hospital, he'd be there, but at the moment, it was just the three of them: him, Alex, and their new baby. He liked the idea of it; coming home to his wife and kid. Smirking, he put the groceries in the kitchen before calling out, "Honey, I'm home!"

There was no answer. He started feeling a little uneasy. He knew she was home. The Jeep with the baby seat was sitting in the driveway. "Tiny?" he called again, moving towards their bedroom. The door was open and he could see her small form curled up on it. He smiled, slightly relieved to see her safe and sound.

As he walked closer, he found Maxi sleeping on the bed next to her. Her hand was lying protectively over his small belly. Pictures littered the bedspread around them. There were newer ones: one of him sleeping, her delicate ringed finger on his chest, one of Leon painting her toe nails, and one of Mia and Michaela relaxing on the beach. Then there were a few from happier times: Michaela and Leon cuddled together on the floor in front of Dom's couch, Jesse elbow deep in an engine, and the last one in particular surprised Vince. It was of Dom seated at the head of the dinner table, Letty on his lap, her arm around his neck, her forehead against him. They both looked content there. Letty was even smiling a little, a rare feat to catch on camera.

He loved Alex even more then. True, she wasn't Dom's biggest fan or a fan at all, but she cared enough to snap a picture of him. To preserve a memory of him. She wasn't going to make Vince sever ties nor was she ignoring his presence in their life. She acknowledged it and accepted it despite her own feelings toward the bald man.

Maxi stirred slightly, his eyes opening as his pacifier fell out of his mouth. Vince gently put it back in and the baby calmed. His pretty blue-green eyes sliding closed again. His gaze fell back on Alex. She was sleeping peacefully, a stray piece of hair blowing in and out of her face with every breath. Her tan had faded slightly, the permanent tan line of her bikini barely apparent anymore. It had been a long time since she'd last been to the beach. He knew as soon as she was able, she'd start surfing again and those lines that he loved to trace over would come back.

Vince ran a finger over the faint scar on her cheek, the one left behind from that night with the Trans. It was the night he had decided he wanted to marry her. That night he decided she was the perfect woman for him. The next day, he'd gotten her Dad's number from Ronnie and made the call to ask for his blessing. He remembered her father, Javier's, shouts of joy and his eager blessing and smiled. He never would've thought someone's father would be so happy to have their daughter marrying a guy like _him_, but Javi had been and Vince was thankful for that.

He wished they could've gotten married before they had Maxi. He had planned on asking her about it and planning a quick wedding before she could get big; a quick but lavish wedding with a Church and all their friends and family. He and the guys would wear nice tuxes, and she would wear a beautiful white dress...

"You're thinking too loud," Alex groaned, cutting off his train of thought.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his hand brushing a hair out of her face just as her brilliant green eyes opened.

"Mm," she hummed, her small hand coming to rest over his. "What are you thinking so much about?"

He leaned forward to kiss her temple. "Getting married."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, a warm smile on her face. "To who?"

"Some dancer I met this one time," he replied on a shrug.

"A dancer!" she exclaimed, her eyes glittering in the dim light. "She must be pretty."

Vince nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "She's beautiful. My tiny dancer."

She giggled, scooting over so he could lie behind her. He lay down, draping his arm over her hip, his big hand settling over her small one that was resting on their son's belly. She leaned into his strong body. "Why were you thinking about marrying this beautiful tiny dancer? I believe she already said yes to you."

"She did." He sighed, his warm breath blowing across her face. "I just wish…I wanted to do things right. I wanted to us get married and then have a baby. "

"You wanted to make an honest woman out of me," she commented on a light laugh. She'd always known Vince was traditional in most of his views. It didn't surprise her at all that having a baby out of wedlock made him uncomfortable.

"Don't laugh," he growled, his lips moving against her neck. "I do everything wrong all the time, I thought this time…I could do something right."

Alex turned her head to kiss his forehead. "Big guy, you didn't do anything wrong. You asked me to marry you and then we had a baby."

"But we're not actually married," he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes. "So? Who gives a shit? I consider you my husband, official or not. I'm not going to go date anyone else…"

"You better not," he interrupted, his arm around her waist tightening its hold protectively.

"If it makes you feel better, we can go to city hall and do it tomorrow," she suggested nonchalantly. She'd been thinking about doing a simple civil wedding for awhile now.

Vince raised his eyebrows, this was not something he was expecting. "Don't all girls want a big fairytale wedding with white dresses and glass slippers or some shit? Mia's been planning hers since she was eight. She has scrapbooks."

"That's unhealthy," Alex muttered with a smirk. "I don't want a big wedding. Just you, me, and our closest friends is perfect."

"What about your family?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Izzy had a big wedding, Lena had a big wedding, and both of them _hated _it. If there's anything I learned from my sisters, its bigger isn't always better. There were tears and fights. Both of them didn't speak to their husbands the week before because there was so much drama."

The gritty sound of his laugh sent shivers down her spine. "No big wedding then," he murmured, kissing her shoulder.

"My parents are coming up next week though…"

"And it shouldn't take long to put a wedding together," he said, his mind following her train of thought.

"We just need a marriage license."

"And a church."

"With a priest."

Vince smiled, pulling her in closer. "We're really gonna do this."

"Oh hell yeah, we are." His slow chuckle made her raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Mia's going to be so pissed."

* * *

Leon shifted uncomfortably in Michaela's car. He couldn't find a position where the seatbelt didn't lay heavily on his cracked ribs. "Stop fidgeting," Michaela ordered, looking at him over her sunglasses. "You're making me nervous, Lee."

He stopped moving and settled for putting his hand between his body and the seatbelt. "How's the Skyline?"

She grimaced and shrugged a shoulder. "It's…pretty fucked up."

"Fuck," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Jesse's been working on it," Michaela explained. "He says it's comin' along well. It will take some time though."

Leon frowned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Damn semi."

"Our team doesn't seem to have much luck with trucks, huh?"

He chuckled, shaking his head at her; it seemed wrong to laugh about the heists since the team barely survived them. "Guess not."

"Too soon?"

Leon shook his head, reaching out a hand to squeeze her thigh. He knew humor was how she dealt with things. "Nah, Princess. You're good."

She smiled at him briefly before biting her lip as she thought of how to phrase her next question. "Lee, where are you going to live now?"

"I don't really know," he said slowly as his mind worked out the different places. He knew he didn't want to live with Vince and Alex especially since they had Maxi at home. He knew what newborn babies were like from experiences with his older sister; they didn't sleep and neither did anyone living with them. He could go back and live in the basement at the fort with Letty and Mia, but he really didn't want to be there. There were too many memories. Another option was to move in with Ronnie and Fisher like Jesse had; the place was big enough and it would be fun. He knew there was one more choice, but he wasn't going to bring it up…not unless it was offered.

"Umm…well, I'm gonna be alone at my house since my brother pretty much moved in with Lex and they have the baby now so…if you want to stay with me…that'd be cool," she said, mentally smacking herself for how awkward she sounded.

He smirked. "You want me to move in with you?"

Michaela shrugged a shoulder. "If you want to. It's no big if you don't. I just…don't want to be alone in that house."

"Why do you call it "that house"? What happened there that made you hate it so much?" he asked perceptively.

"My childhood, my high school years…I went through hell and it all took place there. The fights, the mistakes, everything. There hasn't been a single happy moment in that house until I came from Vegas to visit my brother," she explained on a sigh. "Happy moments happened at the Toretto's; everything else happened at that house."

Leon fought the urge to roll his eyes; sometimes Michaela could be quite the drama queen. "Yet you still want to live there."

She smirked. "I figured I could make new memories there," she said suggestively.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Is that right? Anyone in particular you want in those memories?"

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Say what?" he questioned, playing dumb.

"Leon Donati, will you move into that house with me and help me make new memories?" she asked, feeling like she was proposing to him for some reason.

Leon grinned, leaning over the seat to kiss her cheek. "Sounds like fun to me."

* * *

When Alex had brought up her urge to go to the mall, the other girls looked at her like she'd grown a second head; she almost hated shopping as much as Letty, especially if she had to shop with Mia. Yet there they were, all four of the girls with Mia leading the pack.

"So what are we here for?" Mickey asked, her eyes sweeping the mall for a good sale; she loved the mall just as much as Mia did.

"I wanted to find a dress," Alex replied vaguely.

Mia stopped walking, her brown eyes widening with shock."A dress? You?" she questioned, her voice loud. "Hell must have frozen over. Let, are you looking for a dress too?"

"Hell no," Letty said with a short shake of her head, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Are you talking about one of those beachy dresses you wear. Because I already told you those are cover-ups, not dresses and they don't count," Mia stated, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Alex.

Alex rolled her eyes. They'd discussed that topic many a time when Mia was "helping" her get dressed for the races. "No, Mia. And they do count. A dress is a bodice and a skirt and those "beachy dresses" have both."

"They don't count when you have to wear something under them, Lex."

"You wear panties under a dress, don't you?" Alex pointed out.

Letty smirked. "Not all the time."

"Macy's usually has cute dresses," Michaela put out there, cutting off what was sure to turn into an argument.

Alex shook her head. "Not the kind I'm lookin' for."

"I bet you're lookin' for one of those stripper dresses, huh?" Letty said with a naughty grin. "Tease V a little now that you popped the baby out."

Michaela made a gagging noise but Alex just smiled. "Mmm, good idea, but no," she replied. They turned the corner and she grinned as she saw the store she'd come for. "_Those_ kinds of dresses."

Mia's eyes widened. The dresses Alex was pointing to were intricately decorated with lace and flowers and very...white. "Lex, those are wedding dresses."

"Good," Alex said on a nod. "Because last time I checked, I was getting married."

Michaela, Letty, and Mia stared at her slackjawed as she walked into the store in front of them. Mia charged after her. "Are you kidding me? When is this happening?" she squealed excitedly, clapping her hands as she started to plan out the wedding in her head.

"Anytime within the next ninety days. We were thinking about next week since my parents will be here."

"Excuse me?" Mia's happy tone was gone. All the ideas she had faded from her mind. That was _not_ enough time to plan a good wedding. "That's only like five days of planning! Where are we doing dinner? Where are we going to have it? We have to plan seating arrangements and send out invitations! What the hell, Alex?"

"Mi, we're not having a big wedding. It's just going to be simple. Just family and friends. Hell, we were thinking of doing just a civil service."

Mia gasped as if that was a horrendous idea. "Are you _crazy_? A civil service!"

"I think you just broke Mia's heart," Letty said on a laugh.

Alex sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "But we're not. It's just not going to be a big deal...okay?"

Mia frowned. "This is so unfair. I could've planned an amazing wedding for you two with flowers and musicians and doves!"

"Mi, you can still be my maid of honor," Alex said flippantly.

"What?" she screeched excitedly. She looked at Michaela who didn't look at all surprised.

"Congrats, Mi," Michaela said with an honest smile. While she and Alex were close, she had to admit that Alex and Mia were closer. Though they were polar opposites, the two girls got along surprisingly well. The awkwardness that always existed between Michaela and Alex because of their significant others was absent between Mia and Alex so there was less tension and a lot more things they could discuss without risking a fight. Michaela looped her arms through Mia and Alex's, pulling them toward the store. "Let's go see some dresses!"

Over thirty dresses later, Alex was regretting taking Mia along with her. Everything Mia chose was so fluffy and princess-y. There was nothing Alex would ever feel comfortable wearing. While Mia chatted excitedly with the saleswoman, she wandered over to where Michaela and Letty were rifling through simpler dresses. Michaela gave her a sympathetic smile. "How you holding up?"

"I'm starting to think I'll just wear my white bikini with a white skirt and be done with it," Alex answered on a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I love Cinderella, but I don't want to _dress_ like her. I want to be able to walk down the aisle and _not_ look like a white marshmallow."

Michaela giggled as she moved to another rack. She pushed a few back before stopping. "Oh Lex," she breathed, gently running her hands over the silky material of the skirt. "This is it."

Alex looked over Michaela's shoulder and felt chills go down her spine. It was perfect.

* * *

:) What'd you think?

Next chapter: The Wedding! Any suggestions? Things you want to read? Don't want to read? Ideas?

For those of you who celebrate it: HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Hope your Turkey Day is phenomenal! ;)

~Love Ink


	67. Nerves and Silly Little Fights

Slowly getting to the end! This story is almost 300 pages long!

AAAAND I have a Physics final next week (which sucks because even though I graduated from my university, I wasn't told I needed physics for grad school. SO I'm taking it now that way I can apply to grad school next year!)

Thank you so much to everyone who not only reads but reviews! Especially: **Vinces-Girl, Mrz LOT, Bindie, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(I've never heard of Jell-O salad but it sounds gross! Haha I ate lots of stuffing and turkey though! :]), **shanevanson **(Yes, Vince, Alex, and Maxi will be in the third story. I haven't figured out how yet, but they'll be there. ;) )**, **and **Beautiful Nightmare** (The dress is coming up next chapter! I hope you like it!).

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Michaela, Maxi, Fisher, Cappie, and Alex's sisters. (There are a lot of OCs this chapter, can you tell? It _is _a wedding after all!) :)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 67: Nerves and Silly Little Fights_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his blue tie with a smile. A day he never thought he wanted or needed was finally there; he was getting married and he couldn't have been happier. He glanced at the window of the trailer where he could see people setting up the chairs on the beach. What was supposed to be a small wedding had snowballed into something larger once Alex's mother and Mia had put their heads together. Two months later, it had become this elaborate beach wedding complete with tuxes, a huge cake, musicians, and intricate flowers arrangements.

"Nervous, big bro?" Michaela asked from the doorway.

He turned to find her with Maxi in her arms. "Nah," Vince answered truthfully. He wasn't nervous. He'd been waiting for this day to come for awhile now. There was no doubt in his mind that the woman he'd see walking down the aisle in a few minutes was the right one for him. There was nothing to be nervous about. "Just wish Ma and Pop were here."

"I'm sure they are," she said confidently, her blue eyes flitting to the ceiling to emphasize her point. "Huh, Maxi?"

Maxi just looked up at her and gurgled. His eyes had turned out to be a gorgeous blue-green; a perfect mix of his parents' eye colors. Vince smiled going over to take his son from Michaela. "Nice tux, Max," he commented, holding his son against his chest before dropping a kiss to his soft brown hair.

Michaela nodded in agreement. "As if he wasn't already cute to begin with, Mia had to put him in a tux. He's going to get all the ladies."

"Just like his dad," Vince said, kissing his son's soft brown hair. "How's Tiny?"

"_She's_ fine, it's _Mia_ that's been running around like a chicken with its head cut off," she replied on a scoff. "Lex looks gorgeous, though."

"She always does," he murmured softly. "Huh, Maxi? Your Mama is beautiful, that's why you're so good-lookin'. I helped, of course, but your Mama, she's somethin' else."

Michaela felt tears in her eyes as she watched her big brother. She couldn't believe how far he'd come; how much he'd grown. This was the man she always knew he'd be; the one who was a doting husband and father and took care of his family, his team. "Who would've thought you'd be the first to get married? And to a girl _I_ introduced you to no less!"

Vince smirked. He'd been thinking about that a lot lately. "You know, I almost didn't go into the dance studio with you that day. I was gonna wait in the car. I didn't want to deal with crazy Gigi pinching my cheeks and shit."

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What made you change your mind?"

"Dunno," he said on a shrug though he knew exactly why he'd gone in.

"Bull shit," Michaela said seeing through his lie. "C'mon, tell me."

"To be honest, her Jeep caught my eye. Only 'cause I know that candy green color with those flakes is fuckin' expensive. Whoever owned it obviously cared about their car; I was curious."

"You were attracted to her car," Michaela repeated flatly before rolling her eyes. "Typical."

He smirked. "I didn't know it was _hers_."

"Mia would say something about soul mates and fate."

"Yeah, but Mia's crazy."

"I think she might be right in this case though," she mused, waltzing over to straighten her brother's tie. "You clean up good, bro."

"You're surprised?" he asked sarcastically.

She kissed his cheek as she rolled her eyes. "I don't know how Lex deals with your big-ass head."

A knock on the door caught her attention. Standing on her toes, she peeked at who it was over her brother's shoulder. The grin on her face was enough to clue Vince in on who was at the door. "How's it goin, Lee?" he asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"The girls are almost ready," Leon answered, sauntering into the room, his hands in his pockets. His eyes locked on Michaela's. "Hey Princess. They're askin' for you."

Michaela walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. "How do I look?" she asked, twirling around in her turquoise, sleeveless dress.

"Beautiful," he said, twirling her around and watching as the tea-length skirt spun out around her. "As always."

She grinned, her blue eyes glittering with happiness. "Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."

"That's what I hear," he said on a shrug. "You should go before Mia's head explodes. She said something about wanting your opinion…"

Michaela pulled a face and sighed. She'd left the girls' trailer precisely to avoid having to pick a side over the different choices. So far, she'd had to side with Mia to make Alex wear the pretty high heels Mia had bought her instead of a pair of be-dazzled white Converses Ronnie had given her. "If it's about her shoes again…"

"I don't know why Mia won't let her wear the Converses," Ronnie commented as he strolled in. Unlike Leon, Vince, and Jesse, he and Fisher had lime green ties on to show they were there for the bride. Something Mia had almost killed them for. "They were fuckin' expensive."

"Because she's getting married, not going to a bloody skatepark," Fisher put in, rolling his eyes. "The current debate it about her hair. Mia wants to curl it. Lexi does not."

Michaela glanced at her brother who was busy making faces at his son. He was so enraptured by the little boy in his arms; she doubted he'd even heard the predicament. "Hey V?"

"What?" he asked, still making a face at Maxi. The little boy giggled in response, his tiny hand reaching up to touch his dad's mouth. Vince pretended to bite Maxi's little hand with his lips which only made Maxi giggle more.

"Would you rather have your wife's hair curly or natural?"

He paused, a small smile turning up the corners of his lips. "My wife," he repeated, softly. He couldn't get over how good that sounded and how much he liked saying it. "I like my wife's hair natural."

"Good. I'm going to go tell the girls then. You want me to take the Gremlin?" she asked holding her arms out for Maxi.

Vince pulled the baby in closer to his chest. "No. I'm good. Thanks."

Michaela rolled her eyes before heading out of the trailer and over to the girls' trailer. It was bouncing slightly and she could hear some arguing coming from inside. She smirked, this was the norm when it came to Alex and Mia. She opened the door and was met with yelling voices. More than she was used to. Letty and Alex's younger sister, Cappie, were seated across from each other at the dining table playing what looked like an intense card game of War. "Who's fighting back there?" Michaela asked hearing four voices instead of the usual two.

"It's Laney and Lexie versus Izzie and Mia," Cappie said on a sigh, rattling off her older sisters' names. "Something about curling hair."

"Huh," Michaela said, taking a seat next to Letty.

She'd been slightly taken aback when Alex's two older sisters had arrived. Isabelle, the oldest of the four, was tall with a shapely body. Her dark hair had impeccable highlights and her hazel eyes were fierce and intelligent but held a motherly warmth to them. Michaela hadn't missed the way Jesse had ogled at her curvy form, Isabelle was definitely a MILF.

Elena, the second oldest, was even taller but instead of having curves like Isabelle; she was thin and athletically built. Her hair was dyed a dirty blonde and hung in loose curls to her shoulders. She didn't have the go-with-the-flow attitude her other sisters seemed to have; instead she was more serious and determined. Alex had told her that Laney was fiercely competitive in all things which made her a great lawyer.

"Hold up!" Laney's voice shouted above the other three. The room fell silent. Michaela craned her neck so she could hear better. "It is Lexi's wedding. If she doesn't want to look like Shirley freakin' Temple, than she doesn't have to."

"_Thank_ you, Lane!" Alex said on a sigh of relief.

Michaela got out of her seat and decided to walk into the back room where the girls were. She raised an eyebrow when she found Mia brandishing a curling iron at Alex, Izzie at her side while Elena and Alex stood on the other side; Alex with the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. "Mickey, don't you think Alex would look gorgeous with curls?"

"No," Michaela answered honestly. "Vince likes her hair natural. He told me so."

"_See_?" Alex exclaimed, pointing a finger at Michaela. "Even his _sister_ agrees with me!"

Mia pouted slightly but put the curling iron down. "Fine."

Alex let out a sigh of relief. She could only fight Mia for so long until she gave in. Luckily, she had Laney fighting for her this time or else she would've walked down the aisle with crazy curls. "You can still put those starfish clips in my hair though, Mi."

"Fair enough," Mia replied with a content smile. She gestured toward the chair that was set up in front of a mirror. Alex sat down, the bright smile reforming on her face. Her sisters both walked back out to seek their husbands leaving just Michaela, Mia, and Alex in the fairly large bedroom of the trailer.

"What are you so smiley about?" Michaela teased, going to stand next to her.

"I'm getting married," Alex replied simply.

Michaela smiled. "You're not nervous?"

"What do I have to be nervous about?" she asked before looking at Mia warily in the mirror. "Other than Mia fuckin' up my hair."

Mia pulled on a lock of her hair and stuck her tongue out at her. "You're going to look beautiful."

"You already look gorgeous, Lex," Michaela commented leaning in the doorway. "Vince looks good too."

Alex's eyes lit up at the mention of her future husband. "Have you seen him?"

"Only for a minute to give him Maxi," she answered on a shrug. "I've never seen him so happy." Alex smiled slowly in response, her finger unconsciously playing with her beautiful engagement ring. Michaela looked down at her feet and sighed. "You know, I'm really, really glad he found you, Lex. I didn't think he'd ever find anyone who'd love him as much as I do but you…you do. And I know we fight and bitch at each other, but I'm happy to have you here with us too."

Mia rolled her eyes; Michaela never had a way with words. "I think what she's trying to say is welcome to the family, sis."

* * *

SO? What do you think? Like it? Hate it? Wish this story would just end already? ;)

Let me know!

~Love Ink


	68. Tiny Dancer

Second to last chapter (well technically the last since the next one's an epilogue/lead in to the third installment)! :) Already working on the next one and the prequel, and a new totally separate story! :D

Thank you so much to everyone who not only reads but reviews! Especially: **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx **(I just wanted to thank you bc I started watching Sons Of Anarchy just bc I keep getting updates on your story and I was curious so I decided to give the show a try and MAN! I am ADDICTED (and totally in love with Opie)! :) Needless to say, as soon as I start/finish the fourth season…which should be this weekend, I'll start reading your fic! I'm excited!), **nathansprincess**, **Mrz LOT**, **Bindie**, **Vince's-Girl**, **VincesDirtyGirl**, **BubblesScream, **and **Beautiful Nightmare** (Thanks for being awesome! ;) )

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex, Michaela, Maxi, Fisher, Cappie, and Alex's sisters. (There are a lot of OCs this chapter, can you tell? It _is _a wedding afterall!) :)

I also do **NOT** own "**Tiny Dancer**" by** Elton John**...I _did_, however listen to the** Vitamin String Quartet** version while writing the whole wedding scene (its on youtube if you seach: tiny dancer vitamin string quartet...you won't be disappointed. ;)

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 68: Tiny Dancer_

**By: LoveInk**

Vince stood at the end of the aisle trying to contain his excitement. He felt a small tug at the sleeve of his suit and looked down to see Alex's mom, Luz, smiling back at him, her green eyes the same shade as her daughters. "My you look handsome," she complimented with a warm smile. Her brown hair that was peppered with grey was held back away from her face with an emerald decorated clip. "_Mijo_, I'm going to tell you something."

"What, Mama?" he asked. The first time they'd met, Luz had insisted he call her 'Mama' because as far as she was concerned, he was now her son. Since then, she had worried and fussed over him like he imagined his own mother would if she was still alive.

"People will tell you that in family, the babies always come first," she began in her thick Spanish accent. "But that is not the case. You put God first, then your wife second. Always. If you put the babies first, when they leave, as they all will, you are stuck with a stranger. Now, I am not saying to ignore your child and favor your wife always, _mijo_. I'm saying that you should make time for just the two of you without the _ninos_, _capice_?" (My son, kids, understand)

He nodded slowly. "Got it."

Her green eyes looked him up and down before her smile widened. "Are you ready for this, my Vicente?"

That was another thing about Luz, she would either call him '_mijo_' or _Vicente_ though Alex had told her repeatedly that that was not his full name. It grew on him though, and he didn't mind it so much anymore. "Luz, I've been ready for this for awhile now."

He led Luz down the aisle, stooping to kiss her cheek before letting her sit down. Then he turned to face the aisle and watch as the bridesmaids and the groomsmen made their way toward him. The girls looked beautiful in their sleeveless, silky dresses. The beautiful turquoise color complimented their tan skin-tones beautifully.

Letty and Jesse walked up first, Letty winking at Vince as she crossed over to the ladies' side. Then came Michaela and Leon who were both focused on each other more than what was going on around them. At the end of the aisle, Leon leant over to peck her cheek before they went to their sides. Next came Mia and Fisher, Mia smiling as she walked elegantly up the aisle. After that came Cappie tossing flower petals at the audience rather than the aisle in front of her with Ronnie by her side holding both Maxi and the rings.

When Leon had teased him about this, he'd shrugged and said, "Only the cutest men get to be ring bearers. That's why they chose me and Maxi, obviously." Ronnie grinned at him, taking Maxi's hand and waving it at Vince before he headed over to stand between Leon and Jesse.

Chills rose up his spine as the musicians started playing the beginning chords of a very familiar song. He glanced over at Mia who gave him a wink in return. She'd gone through a lot of hoops to make sure neither Vince nor Alex knew which song she would be walking up to. At first she hadn't been sure "Tiny Dancer" was the right choice, but after seeing the look on Vince's face, she was happy she stuck with it.

He could hear the gasps of the crowd as she came into view, but he couldn't see her. Not yet. He held his breath as he waited. And then she was there, standing at the end of the aisle way, her arm looped through her father's. He let out his breath and smiled; she looked stunning.

Alex's dress was simply beautiful. A white, strapless dress with a panel of some type of lace with crystal beading that glittered in the sunlight on the bodice. The silk skirt swirled around her feet as she walked toward him so that he could just make out the jeweled toes of a pair of Converse sneakers. He fought the urge to laugh; Mia was sure to be pissed.

Her brilliant green eyes met his and it took all of her self-restraint not to sprint towards him. Her dad, Javier's, arm tightened around her own as though he could sense what she was feeling. "_Lentamente, __meu amor. __Você vai__passar o resto__de sua vida com__ele, mas eu__só começar aorientá-lo__por esse__corredor__uma vez. __Quero__aproveitá-la_," he whispered to her in Portuguese. (_Slowly, my love. You are going to spend the rest of your life with him, but I will only walk you down this aisle once. I want to enjoy it._)

Alex took a deep breath and slowed her pace, her eyes never leaving Vince's. As they approached the end of the aisle, her father placed a soft kiss on her cheek before nodding to Vince. "Be good to her. She's my favorite," he said with a wink. It was the same thing he'd said to his other two daughters' husbands and so far, they had done exactly that.

Vince nodded back, taking Alex's small hands in his. She looked up at him and beamed. "Hi," she whispered. He squeezed her hand in response, nodding his greeting because he couldn't find any words to say; she'd taken his breath away.

If the priest was talking, Vince couldn't hear him. All he could see was Alex. Looking into her dark green eyes he saw his present and his future. The bad things that he'd done in the past were behind him. All that time he spent running around with girls whose names he couldn't even remember was over. He'd finally found the one. He was a new man with a precious son and a beautiful wife. So when the priest told him to say his vows, he didn't hesitate once. In a clear, unwavering voice he vowed to love her in sickness and in health, good times and bad for the rest of his life.

She repeated his words, her tone just as confident, ending her vow with, "I will love and honor you all the days of my life. Til death do us part."

"Alexandra, do you take this man, Vincent, to be your lawful wedded husband?" the priest asked.

She looked up at Vince and smiled, her green eyes gleamed with love and excitement. "I do."

"Vincent, do you take this woman, Alexandra, to be your lawful wedded wife?"

"I do," he said on a nod, itching for the man to get to the next part. The part he'd been waiting for since he'd first seen her at the end of the aisle.

"You may now kiss the bride."

He didn't need to be told twice. Taking her into his arms, he dipped her back before placing a tender kiss to her lips, sealing their vows. The music started up again and taking his wife's hand into his own, Vince led her back down the aisle as their friends and family whooped and hollered around them.

* * *

Vince watched his new wife as she walked around the smile dining area, greeting and thanking their guests with their son in her arms. As predicted, Mia had gone off on her about her shoe change but in the end, Ronnie had calmed her down. The two were currently dancing closer than two people who were "just friends" should dance. A small ray of hope filled Vince; perhaps Mia would stop thinking about the Buster and get with Ronnie. At least Ronnie was easier to bear than that punk O'Connor ever was.

He felt a pair of arms drape over her shoulders. Glancing up, he found his little sister smiling back down at him. "Hey brother," she greeted, taking the vacant seat next to him.

"Hey pretty girl," he replied, leaning over to kiss her temple. "Where's Lee?"

She nodded toward the dance floor to where Leon was currently spinning Cappie around. "I'd be jealous if she wasn't thirteen and completely in love with Jesse."

Vince chuckled, shaking his head at her. Cappie had been tailing Jesse ever since she'd gotten to LA. Although Jesse loved talking to her about video games, it creeped him out that such a younger girl was into him. Michaela had gracefully handled the situation by making sure Cappie was occupied with wedding stuff so Jesse had some free time. It was nice to have Michaela home to handle stuff like that. When the other girls were going crazy focusing on big things, she took the time to settle the smaller issues. "I'm happy to have you home, Mickey. I didn't like you being on tour with Freddie."

"Eddie," she corrected, looking in the direction of the aforementioned man who looked miserable. He was sitting next to his older brother, playing with the food on his plate. Every so often, his hazel eyes would find Alex and his shoulders would rise and fall in a sigh. Even though she liked Eddie, Michaela had to admit, it was a little pathetic. "He's heartbroken, you know. He really thought you were just a phase."

He nodded, smiling mischievously. "He told me. Came up to me, shook my hand, and all that bull shit."

"What'd you say to him?"

"I said, 'Thank you for being dumb enough to treat her like shit and drive her right to me,'" he answered with a proud smirk.

Michaela hit his arm, she couldn't believe how much of an asshole he could be sometimes! "Vincent Cash! That's fucked up!"

He shrugged a shoulder. "After all the shit he put her through, he deserves it." She laughed, leaning her head over so it rested against his shoulder. He draped his arm over the back of her chair. "You happy, pretty girl?"

She nodded slowly, a warm smile on her face. "Yeah, I am," she replied honestly. She looked up at her brother, noting his relaxed position and the happiness that glittered in his blue eyes. "I don't even have to ask you."

Vince chuckled and shrugged a shoulder. He was happy. The happiest he'd ever been, in fact. A moment later, the warm smell of coconut and vanilla filled his nose and he turned his head to find his wife standing behind him, their son in her arms. "Hey hubby," she greeted, leaning over to catch his lips in a kiss. "Want to go for a walk? Get away from these crazy people?"

Michaela reached her arms out to take the baby. "I'll take this handsome Gremlin off your hands," she said, taking the tuxedoed baby into her arms. "You two go. Escape."

"Thanks, sis," he murmured, pushing his chair back. He leant over to kiss Maxi's head before taking Alex's hand.

Together they walked towards the ocean. She swung their hands between them as they walked, kicking up the sand with her bare feet and getting it all over her dress and the pants of his tux. "Did I tell you how handsome you look in your tux?" Alex questioned, looking up at him with smiling green eyes.

"You may have mentioned it a few times," he answered, a cocky grin spread across his face. "You looked all right."

She laughed at him, rolling her eyes at him. Since he'd seen her walk up the aisle, he hadn't stopped telling her how beautiful she was. "Just all right?"

He shrugged a shoulder indifferently, though his smile gave away his lie. "Yeah. I think I'd like you better if you were all wet," he said, gracefully sweeping her off her feet and into his arms. He carried her over to the water while she struggled against him, her laughter filling the air.

Vince spun her around as he set her feet down into the wet sand. A wave rolled up, soaking the hem of her pretty white dress. Most of the girls he knew would have had a heart attack that their dress was getting ruined, but Alex just laughed as she leant her body into his strong chest. He enveloped her in his arms, pressing his cheek against her head.

"Dance with me, big guy," she ordered softly, already swaying back and forth to whatever music was in her head. And he knew there was music in her head, there always was. His girl was always moving to something and sometimes, if he coaxed her enough, she'd sing it for him.

"We already danced to our song, remember?" he commented, reminding her of their first dance. He'd surprised her by spinning her around and then dipping her like a pro.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Please don't tell me that's the last time we're ever going to dance."

"I'll always dance with you," he murmured, taking her hand in his and swaying with her. "There's no music though, Tiny."

"Sing to me then."

He scoffed. "God, you're demanding," he teased. "I told you, I only sing to single girls."

She frowned, a look of mock disappointment on her face. "Guess I'll have to get rid of my husband then."

"Not gonna happen. You're stuck with me now." Vince chuckled, dipping his head to kiss her lips. He cleared his throat, smirking to himself as he began to sing, "_Blue jean baby, _S.F._ lady, _dancer_ for _some_ band_. _Pretty eyed, _gorgeous_ smile, _you married_ a music man…_"

Noticing the changed lyrics, she looked up at him with a bright smile. "Is this a remix?"

He nodded slowly, smirking at her as gently spun her out away from him. She twirled on her feet in the wet sand, throwing her head back as she laughed. "_Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand. And now she's in me. Always with me, tiny dancer in my hand_," he sang as he pulled her in close to his chest. "So _hold me _close my_ tiny dancer. Count the headlights on the highway, lay me down in sheets of linen. _We've _had a busy day today._"

Standing on her toes, she pressed a kiss to his lips. "I love you, big guy."

"I love you too, my Tiny dancer."

* * *

**Disclaime Part Deux:**

Again...I do **NOT **own "Tiny Dancer" the amazing song by the magnificent Elton John. _YES,_ the words Vince sings are wrong, he's changing them to fit the situation because he's awesome like that. ;) If you haven't heard the song, look it up and listen. It is in my top 5 most played songs on my iTunes and I just love it to pieces!

Hope you liked it! As always, I LOVE to hear from you so please leave me some love/hate/suggestions in a review! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :) I'm off to Disneyland for the weekend! YAY! :D

~Love Ink


	69. Leaving for Adventure

GAH! I'M SO LATE IN UPDATING! SORRY! I just don't want to end this! UGH!

Okay so this chapter is technically the last one but I'm going to add on an epilogue to make this story and even number of chapters because I'm OCD like that. ;)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to my **amazing** reviewers! : **xsparklesthemagicalunicornx**, **nathansprincess, Mrz LOT, BubblesScream, demonpixie1, D27427** (Mickey and Leon will be more prominent in the third one, I swear! ;) ), **Beautiful Nightmare**, and **KareyyMarie**. I love each and every one of you!

I'm fighting a bit about what to include in the epilogue so I'll either post it tomorrow or the next day, I promise! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alex and Michaela…

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Chapter 69: Leaving for Adventure_

**By: LoveInk**

Mia watched them dance in the water, an absentminded smile on her face. When she'd first seen Alex head into the water with that beautiful white dress on, she'd almost had a panic attack. That dress hadn't been cheap and Alex was going to ruin the silk with salt water. But then she'd seen the way her friend was beaming up at her husband and relaxed. If she was happy, who was Mia to stop her?

She felt someone's hip bump against her own and turned to find Letty standing next to her. "They look happy, huh?" she asked, nodding her head at the couple in the water.

Mia nodded. "Yeah," she breathed. "Who would've thought Vince would be first? I always thought it'd be me or..." she trailed off, not wanting to remind Letty of Dom.

"Me," Letty finished, her voice sounding sad. She pushed a stray hair behind ear as she sighed. "I'm gonna find him, Mi."

"Are you sure you want to, Let?" she asked softly. Her dark eyes studied Letty's profile, searching for a hint of what the girl was feeling. "He left us all. He left _you_. What kind of person does that?"

Letty shrugged a shoulder. "He didn't do it to hurt us, Mia. He did it to protect us."

Mia bit her lip, wondering if that was true or if that just what Letty needed to believe to be able to sleep at night. Either way, she wasn't about to go telling her she was wrong. She was entitled to her own opinion. "So now what? Where are you going to go?"

"Hector said he heard rumors about Dom bein' in the Dominican from his cousin, Tego," she replied kicking at the sand with her bare foot. She looked up at Mia briefly, a smirk on her face. "You remember him? He came to stay with Hec a few years ago."

She nodded in response, remembering Tego well. He'd been hilarious. He was the kind of person that was so positive about everything that they felt untouchable. She'd heard that mind frame had gotten him in jail on various occasions. "You leaving us then?"

Letty's dark eyes looked out over the sea once again. A part of her didn't want to leave her home, her team. A part of her wanted to stay and watch as her family matured. See Vince's kid grow up, have a part in his life. Yet another part of her, a stronger part, pulled her to Dom. Pulled her to the mysterious island where he was staying. A clear vision of them sitting together on the beach, Corona's in hand made her yearn to leave and make it a reality. "Yeah."

"When?"

"Soon," she murmured looking back down at her feet.

"You sure you don't want to stay?"

"What's left here for me, Mia?" Letty asked, glancing at Mia out of the corner of her eye.

She watched as her best friend, her sister, tensed; those familiar brown eyes darkening with anger. "What do you mean what's left for you here?" Mia practically shouted, throwing her arms out to the side in frustration. "_We_ are! We're your family, Let!"

Letty nodded as she tried to think of a way to better explain it to Mia. "I know," she stated with a scowl. She didn't know how to explain it to Mia, if she would understand. Sighing, she decided to try, "It just feels _wrong_ to be here without Dom."

Mia's anger dissipated at the simple explanation. It made sense, of course. Dom was an integral part of Letty, her other half. It was logical for her to feel weird without him. Mia herself felt weird without her big brother there. She couldn't begrudge her best friend for that. "Just stay safe, Let," she said, pulling her into an unexpected hug. "And call me every once in a while? I know Dom won't want to, but you can. Please."

"I'll do what I can, Mi," Letty promised, relieved that Mia understood her need to get away, to find Dom.

"Thanks."

Mia kissed her cheek before heading back to the party, leaving Letty alone with her thoughts. A few minutes went by before she felt someone step into place beside her. She turned to find Jesse next to her, his pretty light blue eyes focused on the horizon. "Hey Let?"

"What's up, Jess?"

He shifted awkwardly, pulling at the sleeves of his tux jacket nervously. "Can I go with you to find Dom?"

Letty looked at him with wide eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jesse wanted to leave his family to help her look for Dom! That was crazy! Jesse loved LA, loved being at the garage! "You want to go with me to find Dom?" she repeated, still shocked.

"Yeah," he said on a nod. He shrugged a shoulder nervously as he tried to find the right words to describe his reason. It was hard to do when there were so many other things to focus on…what to pack, if they'd fly or drive…where the hell they were going. He shook his head, trying to stay on point. "Um…it's just…everyone here's got someone and I got nothin'. I need somethin' new. I'm good at computers so I can help find him. And maybe I can be your bodyguard too. Kind of. I guess."

She held back at laugh at that one, knowing it might hurt Jesse's feelings if she doubted his ability to protect her. She just couldn't picture her sweet friend trying to kick someone's ass. Jesse was the type of guy who watched and shouted strategies at the people fighting, not the kind who actually fought. "Jess, if I leave, chances are, I'm not comin' back."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I could always come back by myself if I want to. I just want a change. It's hard to be alone around Lee and Vince. They're so happy with Micks and Lex and it just makes me miss…"

Letty waited for him to continue, watching as he rubbed at his chest, just over his heart. She had seen the tattoo he had there, the Spanish word for "hope" similar to Leon's side tattoo. She'd always wondered about their almost matching tattoos, but they were both so private about their past, she hadn't dared to ask. "Miss who?"

"No one," he said softly, his eyes falling to his feet. "It's just hard. I need something new."

Her eyes studied him. Could she trust him to protect her? To not leave when the going got tough? Hell, Dom hadn't even been able to do that. "If we're gonna do this, I don't want secrets, Jess."

"Umm…before LA and Vegas, I had this girl. And she was…great. And she's not here anymore and I…I can't handle all this lovey dovey shit without thinking about her," he explained vaguely.

She nodded slowly. The sadness that filled his eyes was enough to explain what "she's not here anymore" meant. Though she was curious, she didn't press him for more. She knew how it felt to want to keep deceased loved ones private. "All right. I'm thinkin' of leavin' next week. You down?"

"Oh hell yeah," he said, a big smile on his face. "Where we goin'?"

"Dominican Republic. You been practicing your Spanish?"

He nodded. "_Si, un poco_," he said, his American accent so thick it made Letty wince. He caught it and grinned bashfully. "I'll work on it more, I swear." (_Yeah, a little_)

"You think Mickey and Lee will be okay with this?"

"I'm a grown man, I can make my own decisions," he replied as though he'd already thought of it. "I'm all healed up too so I don't need to worry about my bullet holes and shit."

Letty smiled sadly. "They leave good scars?"

"Somewhat," he answered with a shrug. "I gotta get a good tan to show them off right though."

She chuckled, slapping his back lovingly. "No worries, Snow White, we'll get you a nice tan on the beach in the DR. We just got to be careful and make sure you don't blind anyone in the process."

He chuckled, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Sounds awesome. I'm so down!"

They bumped fists before she pulled him into a hug. "This is gonna be fun, huh bodyguard?"

He nodded exaggeratedly. "Hell yeah! We're gonna have an adventure!"

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Let me know please! :D

Thanks so much for taking the time to read...the epilogue will be up soon! :)

~Love Ink


	70. Epilogue: Been a While

GAH! I'M SO LATE IN UPDATING! SORRY!

This is the official "end" to the sequel! I'm sorry its short but I swear, I have a lot more written and will post the third one some time soon! :)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to **Mrz LOT, Beautiful Nightmare, Rue Dawn, Mantha921, xsparklesthemagicalunicornx, **and **Idoneous** for taking the time to review! I love hearing from all of you!

Another thank you to all the favorites, story alerts, etc…you guys are just so awesome!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey, Alex, and Maxi

* * *

**Diamond in the Rough**

_Epilogue: Been a While_

**By: LoveInk**

A stack of cash, his necklace, and a cold side of the bed. That was all he left. Letty shivered despite the Dominican Republic heat. He had left her again. She should've known something like this was coming with all his contemplative bullshit. His "I don't want you around when it catches up with us". He must have known there was no way she was going to leave so he did what he thought was right and left himself. "Fucker," she muttered, grabbing the stacks of cash and the necklace.

She left the small little hut and headed towards Jesse's, pounding on the door. She heard a crashing sound before Jesse opened the door. His blonde hair was a mess and he was rubbing sleepily at his eyes. "Hey Let. Sup?"

"He left," she said simply, holding out the stacks of cash. "He just left. Again."

Jesse sighed, scratching at his head as he thought of what to say. "Are we going after him?"

"How the fuck are we going to find him?" Letty asked, slightly frustrated with Jesse. Couldn't he see how difficult it'd be to find him again?

"Dunno," he said on a shrug. "I'll figure something out."

She scoffed at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Like what?

He shifted from foot to foot as he thought. "We can go home."

"Jess…"

"C'mon, Let. Dom's not here, what else can we do?" Jesse answered on a shrug. He'd been itching to go home for awhile now. He was bored of what they were doing. Sure, at first it'd been fun to steal oil, but he was quickly getting tired of it. It was too similar to the heists, too close to what had almost cost him his life. "Last time, he called Lex…maybe he'll do that again."

Letty ran her hands through her hair, shaking her head slowly. Was she crazy for agreeing with him? For wanting to go home? It'd be a way to be closer to Dom without having him there and maybe, just maybe, she could figure out a way to clear his record so he could come home too. "Maybe."

Jesse clapped his hands, a bright smile on his face. "We can go to the beach and work in the garage!"

"Jess, we're on an island. We're surrounded by beaches…"

"It's not the same!" he exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. He pushed her out of the house and towards her cabin. "C'mon, go pack! It's time to go home!"

* * *

Michaela sat at the counter of the shop, picking at a bag of Doritos while she listened to Mia talk about Ronnie. The two had been seeing each other on and off for awhile now and frankly, Mickey was starting to get sick of hearing about him. She glanced over at Alex who was flipping through some surf magazine looking just as bored. "And he just picked me up and carried me over so my shoes wouldn't get ruined! How romantic is that?" Mia gushed.

"Real romantic," Michaela answered flatly.

Mia glanced towards Alex waiting for her comment. "Yeah, he's a fuckin' class act," the other girl replied sarcastically. Alex knew Ronnie way too well to even consider him being romantic.

"Hey, how's Grem doing with the swearing thing?" Michaela asked, eager to change the subject. "Lee told me you got a very stern talking to from his Pre-K teacher."

Alex sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Apparently Maxi dropped a bucket of blocks and used a lovely four letter word to communicate his shock," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Vince sat him down and told him those words were only for use at home. We got a monetary system going for every time he swears when he's not at home. A nickel for 'hell', a dime for 'shit' and 'ass', and a whole quarter for the f-bomb and the b-word. And if we swear, he has to pay us but only in public places or at friends' house or at school."

"I already owe that monster ten cents," Mia said with a shake of her head.

Michaela laughed at her brother and sister-in-law's parenting skills. Only they would allow the four year old to swear at home but not in public. "I bet he likes that."

Alex nodded in response. "Hell yeah he does! Its teaching him how to count and how to save money though. He already saved up enough to buy a new toy car thanks to his Uncle Leon."

Michaela wasn't surprised; her boyfriend's favorite word was 'fuck'. "Between Vince and Lee, I'm surprised he can't buy two or three!"

"Well, Daddy doesn't have to pay," Mia commented as she wiped down the counter.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked in a surprised tone.

Mia shook her head slowly. "Not when they were here last time. Vince was using some very colorful words to describe a particular angry customer and Maxi didn't say a single word. 'course I decided to say 'what the hell' and I got charged…"

"Favoritism at its finest," Michaela teased. "Guess we know who his favorite parent is…"

Alex smirked. "He doesn't charge me either. Guess it's just his aunts and uncle," she said on a shrug. "He does have a serious case of idol worship with V though. Today, he wouldn't let me brush his hair because when he woke up, it looked just like Papi's."

"I noticed," Mia said, a note of disapproval in her voice. "It's bad enough V looks like that, do you really have to let your son?"

"Sorry we can't all have significant others with perfectly gelled hair," Alex replied with a roll of her eyes. "Plus, I love Vince's hair. I have no problem with my adorable son looking like his handsome father."

Michaela scoffed. "You love Vince. He could dye his hair bright pink and you'd still love him."

"Yes, yes I would," she said, completely unashamed to admit it. "Now if he shaved it off, then we would have a problem."

"I don't think he'd do that. Ever."

"He better not. Its so fun to pull on when we…"

"STOP!" Michaela and Mia shouted at the same time.

A low chuckle drew their gazes towards the door where a familiar woman was standing, tan arms crossed over her chest, sunglasses riding low on her nose. "Good to see not much has changed around here," she said as she strode towards the counter.

Michaela practically jumped off her stool as she sprinted over to her. "Letty!" she cried, throwing her arms around the girls neck and hugging her tightly.

"How you guys livin'?" Letty asked after hugging Mia and Alex. She took a seat on the stool between Michaela and Alex, smiling as Mia set a Corona down in front of her.

All the girls replied with short answers, nothing too exciting had really been going on in their lives. They were all concerned with their men and with Maxi, of course. The little boy was spoiled rotten. "What brings you here?" Mia asked. "Is Dom back too?"

Letty shook her head sadly. "Nah, he…he left me and Jess."

"He left you _again_?" Michaela questioned, eyes wide. She glanced from Alex, who didn't look at all surprised, to Mia who looked worried as hell.

"Yeah. Apparently, he didn't want us around when the cops caught up to him," she explained.

Alex shook her head, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "Asshole."

"Alex," Mia chastised with a frown. "Are you staying here for awhile?"

Letty nodded. "I'm gonna find a way to clear his name. Bring him back home where he belongs."

* * *

"I don't have no money, Papi! _Nooooo_," Maxi exclaimed as his father picked him up by his little legs and swung him over his shoulder, dangling upside down by the ankles. Coins fell out of the boys pockets, hitting the cement on the ground.

Vince glanced up at Leon who was working on a car a few feet away. "Looks like the kid's got money to me. Huh, Lee?"

"Lots of money," Leon agreed on a nod.

Maxi giggled as his dad swung him back and forth, his head just inches from the ground. "My money, Papi!"

"What'd Mami tell you about using those words, Max?" he asked, fighting off a grin. He and Max had been working on an engine when the boy had accidentally dropped a wrench on his own foot and let out a slew of expletives long enough to make a sailor blush and his father proud.

"Only for home!" he squealed, his little hands trying to grab at the coins on the floor despite the fact that he was still hanging upside down. "Or I pay!"

Vince chuckled, gently turning his son over and setting him on his feet. He held out his hand to the four year old. "C'mon, pay up."

Maxi scowled, bending over to pick up the various coins. He started placing them one by one into his father's awaiting hand. Vince fought the urge to laugh as he noticed not all of the coins were real. There were a few plastic ones from his fake bank and a few arcade tokens mixed in with the real money. "Dat enough?" he asked, looking up at his father with hopeful green-blue eyes.

"Yeah, kid," he answered, rubbing a hand over his son's messy hair. He wondered if the kid had seen a brush that day or if Alex had let him out of the house without noticing. Max's brown hair was cut short to his head and stood up in the front and in the back thanks to awful two cowlicks. Not that the boy minded, after all, his father had messier hair than anyone he knew.

"Hey Papi?" he asked as he climbed on top of the plastic crate to look into the engine his dad was working on.

Vince grunted as he tightened a bolt. "Yeah?" he asked without looking up.

"There's someone at the door," the little kid answered, pointing to the open garage doors.

"No shit," he said glancing in the direction his son was pointing. Maxi knew better than to ask his dad to pay for the swear word. One thing was to make his uncles and aunts pay up, it was quite another to tell his dad to. A wide smile spread across Vince's face as headed the visitor's way. "Look who decided to come home. How you doin, Jess?"

Jesse walked in, a certain swagger to his step. His usually pale skin was a shade or two darker from the Caribbean sun. "Hey V. What's up?" he asked, grabbing Vince's hand and pulling him in for a man shake/hug.

"Hi!" Maxi said as he came running over. "I know you from Mama's pictures."

Jesse looked down at the small boy and grinned. He was the perfect mixture of his parents. Blue-green eyes, messy dark hair, caramel skin, and a megawatt smile he had to have inherited from his mother. "I know you from your Mom's pictures too, kid," he said, squatting down so he was eye level with him. "You got big."

"I'm this many now, Uncle Jesse," Maxi stated proudly, holding up four fingers.

"Uncle Jesse?" Leon muttered to himself, looking around the hood of his car. He spotted Jesse chatting with Max. "Oh shit."

"Dime, Tio!" Max shouted, turning his blue-green eyes on his Uncle.

Leon didn't mind, not when his best friend had returned. "Hey brotha," he said, pulling Jesse in for a hug and a pat on the back. "Been a long time, man."

* * *

I can't believe this is over! :( This story ended up being over 300 pages long!

Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck with it despite my awful update habits! And to everyone who's ever taken the time to comment or give me constructive criticism! You all are just wonderful people!

The third installment or the prequel will be up soon. Not sure which one I want to post first...thoughts?

Also, I'll be posting a Sons of Anarchy fic either today or tomorrow so if you're a fan, check it out! If you've never seen the show, give it a shot! You won't be disappointed!

Thanks again!

~Love Ink


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